Pokemon Insurgence: The Delta Whisperer
by Rider of Black 00
Summary: Following her escape from the clutches of the Cult of Darkrai, a teenage girl soon begins her adventure to save the Torren region from the cults plaguing it, unaware of the special gift that she has within her. Rated M for mature themes.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey there everyone, it's me and I have another amazing story for you. After much deliberating, I opted to write a story about Pokémon Insurgence, a game that holds a very special place in my heart given that it was the very first fangame I ever played. Sure, it may have its flaws but it's still an amazing experience that I highly recommend that you play. Now the way the story will go is a lot like the usual story, only that the main character has a hidden power that enables them to form a special bond with the otherwise tricky and dangerous to control Delta Pokémon. As for pairings, I plan on having the Female MC pair up with Nora, but that'll be it asides from the canon pairings in game. Keep in mind, I will be following the 'Dark' storyline of the game so if that doesn't interest you then I apologize for it. So, without further ado, let us begin Pokémon Insurgence: The Delta Whisperer!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon Insurgence; it is the property of its creators.**

It was another bright and sunny day in the large region of Torren, a region famous around the Pokémon world for being a lot more challenging that the standard Pokémon leagues. Though not as ruthless as the Reborn and Aevium regions, the league challenge required you to go against Gym Leaders who base their teams around specific themes as opposed to standard types, their well-trained Pokémon able to counter their greatest weaknesses. And if that wasn't enough, the region's Elite 4 is said to be so frighteningly powerful that even regional champions would struggle against them in battle. It's because of this frighteningly powerful league that nobody has gotten to the champion in ages, turning them into a mysterious figure whose identity is unknown to the general public.

But it's not all sunshine and rainbows in the land of Torren; dozens of fanatical cults used to run rampant throughout the region, abducting people and performing grisly rituals on them for the sake of summoning the legendary Pokémon they worshiped. These cults held the region in a state of fear, the people too frightened to leave their hometowns in case they wind up on another missing person poster. However, a hero known as the Augur would rise up to destroy these cults, his powerful Pokémon decimating their enemy as if they were a wet paper bag. One by one, these evil cults would fall into ruin, their headquarters trashed and their leaders either getting captured, or fleeing the area, never to be seen again. The dozen or so cults that plagued the region would be reduced to a paltry five, with the Augur making his way to the base of another cult…only to wind up missing.

This had caused the people of Torren to panic; after all if even their great and infallible Augur would fall victim to these cults, then who would be next? To ease the populace's worries, a man by the name of Jaern would host a speech to put the peoples worries at ease, perhaps even give them a new hero to look up to. Jaern was a man of above-average height, with spiky blonde hair that was tied up into a ponytail at the back. His outfit was a cream-colored suit of sorts, decorated with a series of yellow circles that were connected to one another as if they were a chain of sorts. From the way he had neatly groomed himself, it was evident that he took great pride in his appearance. Using his connections to high-ranking officials sympathetic to the Augur and his cause, he was able to establish a rally in Helios City, the Torren region's capital. As he had hoped, a large crowd of people from all over the Torren region had arrived at the rally, hoping that his speech will deliver them some much needed hope.

"Thank you all for coming, great people of Torren." Jaern began, in a calm and collected tone of voice. "We live in dark times, my friends. A grave loss has recently befallen us all; our beloved Augur has fallen. The Augur was a great man; not only was he a trainer of immense power, but his heart burned with the desire to protect his people. He was our hero…and possibly the best leader the Torren Region has ever known."

The crowd grew somber over the start of his speech, a few attendees reduced to tears as a dark look overcame the blonde man.

"As you know, where other regions have evil teams or organizations, our region is instead plagued by Pokémon-worshiping cults. To these cults, religion is more that a belief meant to comfort someone during a dark day; it is a weapon that they'll use to remake the world into whatever twisted abomination caters to their twisted minds. For the sake of us all, the Augur defeated and disbanded a large number of these cults; he was our savior. But one week ago, he went searching for one of the remaining cults…but hasn't returned from his mission. Nobody has seen him since, leading us to believe that he has perished. However, I still believe that he's still alive, and I implore you to do so as well!" He continued, only for a person to raise their arm in the air.

"But what will you plan to do; wait around in the hopes of the Augur coming back?" They inquired, the crowd murmuring to himself as Jaern made a decision rather quickly.

"I will spend my hours searching tirelessly for him. In the meantime, I will accept the prestigious honor of becoming the Augur while he is missing, becoming the Second Augur to carry on the legacy of the First Augur. I will use every last resource at my disposal to find him and destroy these wretched cults! We, the people of Torren, will stand our ground against this blight that plagues our region. We will not let these cultists…these insurgents split apart our families and destroy the place we call home! Long live the Torren Region!" He concluded boldly.

"LONG LIVE THE TORREN REGION!" The crowd cheered at the top of their lungs, devoting all their support to him as Jaern gazed at the devoted crowd, a small smirk forming on his face as he saw that phase one of his great plan was completed rather easily.

_**?**_

"_Ugggh…where am I?" A voice called out to the infinite abyss before her, the void as dark as a world without light. The figure tried walking towards a random direction…only to realize that she wasn't moving at all, as if she was stuck in some sort of twisted nightmare. She tried in vain to wake up from this inescapable dream…but found that she was unable to, the figure shivering in fear as she felt someone, or something watching her from afar._

"_Hello? Can you hear me?" A second voice called out from the ether, sounding like that of a much older man than the teenage girl._

"_Y-Yes, I can hear you." She replied to the ether, the mysterious voice letting out what sounded like a sigh of relief._

"_Oh, thank Arceus. You're not gone just yet." The voice stated. "You've got to listen to me, it'll return any minute now. You need to stay focused and remember all that you can. If you value your memories at all, you'll listen to what I have to say. You do remember your name, right?" It continued, a hint of urgency in his voice as the girl pondered to herself for a quick moment._

"_N-Natasha." She answered quickly._

"_Ok, ok, that's a great start; at least you can remember your name. Now tell me if the reflection in this mirror matches your appearance, if not then you are able to edit it by adjusting your figure with it." The voice continued; a mirror soon appeared out of nowhere as Natasha took the time to gaze into it and evaluated her appearance. The long purple hair, the shiny blue eyes and her noticeable by modest curves were all as she remembered them. With a nod of confirmation, she pressed a button on the top of the mirror as it soon disappeared back into the ether._

"_Thank goodness; if you know who you are then perhaps there is hope after—" The voice began, before the ominous chuckle of a Gengar cut him off, the shadowy specter appearing from the ether and began floating towards Natasha. "I-It's here, you need to wake up this instant! I've sent someone to fend it off and get you out of here; you must wake up now!"_

**0000**

The slumbering form of Natasha lay still in the dirty bed, locked in a cell alongside the Gengar as it began feasting on her dreams with gusto. A pair of figures cloaked in robes resembling the Pokémon Darkrai were watching her from outside the cell, the loose-fitting robes hiding their features from any who gaze upon them. The first cultist was keeping an eye on the scene before them as they turned to face their comrade, who was busy tinkering away on a computer beside the cell door.

"Alright, the door is locked and Gengar's doing her thing. Soon, Dream Eater will rid the prisoner of her remaining memories. Hopefully, the process won't take too long." The first cultist chimed in as a third figure approached the duo; a woman whose robe was more like a dress whose bottom was formed into a wispy tail of sorts, her long white hair poking out from the white hood over her head. From the way she carried herself, it was clear that she was the one in charge of this cult, and the operation in general. Upon arriving at the cell, she cleared her throat to gain the cultists attention, the duo standing up straight and turned to face their leader.

"And how is our youngest prisoner faring?" She demanded, the second cultists glancing at the computer beside them.

"Well Miss Persephone, the computers states that their memories will be completely erased within the next fifteen or so minutes. Everything is going smoothly, my lady." The cultist reported as a smirk formed on the older woman.

"Excellent. Finally, we'll have fulfilled our end of the bargain. Good work, you two. The ritual is about to start soon, and I assume you'll be attending once this has finished." The now named Persephone inquired.

"Of course, Miss. I would never miss a sacrifice!" The first cultist chimed in, as a question soon formed in their mind. "H-Hey Miss, once the child's memories have been erased, what do we do with them?"

"Kill them; I figured it would've been a bit obvious. I expect you both upstairs very soon." She answered bluntly, walking off in a huff as the two cultists glanced at each other momentarily.

"So why are we even bothering to erase her memories if she's gonna die anyway?" The first cultist asked their comrade.

"Beats me, but I'm glad you didn't ask her why; you know how she hates being questioned. Anyway, we're expected at the ritual and the last thing I want is to be late." The second cultist replied, the duo leaving their station as the Gengar continued to feast on Natasha's memories. However, a mysterious chirp caused the Gengar to cease its attack, the phantom looking side-to-side to locate the source, only for the Mythical Pokémon Mew to appear before it, its appearance terrifying the Gengar as it fled the cell, knocking down the door in the process. Once the coast was clear, the Mew began to gently poke and prod at Natasha, the teenage girl stirring in her sleep before slowly waking up and hopping out of bed, looking down and realizing that she was only wearing a ratty tracksuit that had a few stains and minor tears in it.

"A-Are you…" She began, with Mew giving her a firm nod in return as a small smile formed on her face. "T-Thank you…now let us get out of here, together."

"Mew!" The Mythical Pokémon chirped back, the duo escaping from their cell and made their way through the dark, dirty corridors of the base. Occasionally, Natasha would dive into any unopened cell she found and began searching for anything that could aid her escape or would prove useful in the long run; a couple Potions here, a Paralyze Heal there, all sorts of good stuff. However, there was the occasional door that was locked, a glowing keypad indicating that a fingerprint was required to access whatever lay beyond the door. Realizing that it wouldn't be wise to stand around for too long, the teenage girl continued her way down the corridor until she found the stairs and walked up them, only for her to sigh upon seeing another one of those 'fingerprint-locked' doors.

"Now what am I going to do?" She asked herself, before Mew gently nudged her shoulder, offering her a small note to read. "I chose Mew to help you out of this mess due to its special ability. It is able to use Transform to change its form and disguise itself as something else. However, unlike Ditto, Mew can transform you as well. If you can find some DNA, Mew can disguise you as someone else. You should be able to use this to escape the base. Good luck!" She read to herself, an idea forming in her mind. Glancing towards a flight of stairs leading up, Natasha walked up them in search of some DNA she could use, only to recoil in disgust at the sight before her.

Raised on a pedestal was an altar of sorts, decorated it various runes of an unknown nature. A pair of bronze Darkrai statues flanked the altar and looked so realistic that they could've sprang to life at any moment if they wanted. But the worst part was the dried-up puddles of blood coating the surface of the altar, as if a sacrifice had happened quite a while ago. Cringing slightly to herself, Natasha used her finger to pick up some of the blood and showed it to Mew, who gazed at it briefly before absorbing it with its power and promptly transformed the girl into a Darkrai Cultist.

"Hmmm…" Natasha mused to herself, looking over her new body before glancing back at the dried-up blood. "If I'm disguised as someone who's dead, then I can't get too close to the other cultists, lest they grow suspicious."

"Mew!" The Mythical Pokémon chimed back in agreement, the duo walking back downstairs as they approached the locked door that had halted their process earlier. A newfound confidence within her, Natasha pressed her thumb against the scanner, the device taking its time to scan her appendage before flashing green as the door opened promptly afterwards. Stepping beyond the door, she found herself in a most spacious area, with several tables and chairs littered all over the place, as well as a few puddles of what looked like polluted, if not downright acidic water. Keeping clear of the acidic water, she inadvertently found herself in a room that was littered with various items and other supplies, with Natasha determining it to be the Cult's main storage room. Looking side-to-side to see if the coast was clear, she spent a few minutes scooping up whatever items she could use, be it medicinal supplies, a few miscellaneous items and even a couple trinkets that could net a fair price at the Pokémart. Once she had taken what she could, the teenage girl exited the storage room and saw a second flight of stairs leading up, curiosity flooding her body as she make the quick trek up and saw dozens of cultists watching what appeared to be one of their own getting tied up on a second altar by an older woman.

Like with the first one, it was decorated with various runes and was flanked by a pair of Darkrai statues. A trio of cultists were busy monitoring the ritual via computers much like the one outside her cell; the teenage girl making her way to the front of the crowd as a couple of cultists at the back eyed her up oddly, as if they were a little suspicious of her disguise. Seeing that her cultists were all ready for the show, the older woman made her way to the front of the crowd to begin the ritual.

"I'm glad that you are all here to attend this long-awaited event my fellow cult—" Persephone began, only for the cultist on the altar to begin shaking violently as their bindings were starting to grow loose.

"M-Miss! Please, you can't do this! I don't want to die!" The cultist pleaded, the older woman huffing as she pushed the cultist down on the altar and retied their bindings, ensuring that they won't be able to escape.

"You made an oath to me that you would give up your life for us upon joining. How is this any different?" She coolly retorted, gesturing the trio at the computers to activate the ritual circle, the runes on the altar now glowing a crimson red. "Darkrai, lord of darkness! I call upon you to enter our world! In return, I offer you the soul of this loyal servant to be bound to your world of nightmares forever! Voco virtutem umbrarum dominum!"

The room suddenly grew dark as if all lights had been switched off abruptly, a low growl echoing throughout the room as the cultists awaited its arrival with bated breath. A quick but agonized scream soon broke the silence, with Natasha knowing all too well what it indicated. Soon, the darkness would fade away, with the Pitch-Black Pokémon hovering where the bound cultist once lay, the cultists gazing at it in awe as Persephone knelt before it.

"Darkrai, the lord of nightmares…you are the great balancer of the world. You punish the great and slay the immortal. It has been a year since I last saw you. You remember what occurred then? We accomplished something incredible that day. I thought finally, you had accepted our offer to join us. But you fled soon after, never to be seen again. But now I call upon you again…Darkrai, why will you not join me? I know my sister has seen you time and time again…why do you favor her over me? I beseech you, Darkrai, join me. Join the cult that has worshipped you for so long. With my guidance and your power, the world could be ours." She spoke in reverence, offering Darkrai an opportunity to seize ultimate power. However, the Pitch-Black merely gazed at her in disinterest and soon disappeared from the room, the older woman gazing at where it once stood as a scowl formed on her face. "Well, isn't that just _lovely_. It's probably gone off to Selene City to see my sister again…what a waste of a cultist."

Walking down the stairs with a huff, two of the cultists monitoring the computers left their stations to offer their condolences, the cult leader staring them down with an annoyed look in her eyes. "M-Miss, please. I'm confident that if we had another try, we could trap Darkrai here! We don't know why it didn't work this time, but if you'll just give us another chance-" One of the cultists requested.

"Get out of the way!" Persephone demanded, sending out her Houndoom and ordered it to use Flamethrower on the duo, the large canine spewing a stream of fire at the cultists. They were soon engulfed by the flames and began screaming in pain as they dropped to the floor to put the fire out, but were too late to do so and soon died from their injuries, the remaining cultists backing off in fear as they cautiously eyed up the charred corpses. "I'm going to check up on the prisoner, and I don't want ANY of you to follow me, got it?!" She demanded, recalling her Pokémon before storming out of the room as the remaining cultists watched her leave. Seeing this as a prime opportunity to escape this place, Natasha quickly made her way downstairs and began searching the lower floors for an exit, a sigh of relief escaping her mouth as she saw what looked like an exit that was flanked by more of those Darkrai statues, only these one were gold-plated.

Making her way beyond the exit, the teenage girl found herself on a small hill deep within what looked like a forest, with Mew transforming her back to her normal form as she had no more use for the cultist disguise. Walking down the hill and onto the soft, grassy terrain, Natasha soon found a small dirt path coming from the south if her sense of direction was correct. Figuring that it could lead her to a small town of sorts, the teenage girl went down the simple path, having completed the first chapter of what will become her greatest adventure so far.

**That's it for the first chapter everyone; since Insurgence has less dialogue than Rejuvenation, you can expect the chapters to be a little short than the ones in Rise from the Ashes. All that said, thank you very much for reading, I'll see you all in the next chapter.**


	2. Chapter 2

**When we last left off, Natasha had narrowly escaped the clutches of the Cult of Darkrai and is making her way back to civilization. In this chapter, she will be presented with the opportunity to pick out her Starter Pokémon…and get more than she bargained for.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon Insurgence; it is the property of its creators.**

Having walked down the path for a while now, Natasha was unsure on when she'd reach civilization; the sun slowly rising in the air as the implications didn't go unnoticed to her. She had willingly walked through the forest at night, where nocturnal Pokémon would be at their busiest, knowing full well that if any of those Darkrai cultists caught up to her, it would be over. But at long last her perseverance would pay off, the path had led to a fairly small town near a cliff looking over the sea, the sign at the front simply reading 'Telnor Town'.

"At long last, I'm safe and sound. Thank you for accompanying me Me—" Natasha began, turning around and saw that Mew wasn't there anymore. Instead, there was a small note with what looked like a flute on top of it. Picking up both items, she put the flute safely in the bag she picked up during the escape before reading the note to herself.

'_The Quartz Flute allows you to call upon Mew when needed. This can be used to utilize Mew's transform ability, transforming you into someone else, or potentially changing Mew into a different Pokémon. To use it, simply play the melody listed on the bottom of this note and Mew will come to you. As for why it left, there are people out there who would seek to capture it for their own nefarious purposes, hence why its association with you must be kept secret at all cost. However, you can tell this secret to those who have been chosen by Mew's comrades, though they are few and far between. Good luck!_

_Signed: your benefactor'_

With the new realization that the knowledge she possessed would be dangerous in the wrong hands, Natasha discreetly tucked her note away and was about to enter town for the sake of restocking supplies, only to get distracted by the voice of what sounded like a young teenager calling out to her.

"Hey…you there, did you see it?" He called out, running up to the teenage girl. The boy was a rather cute lad, with short white hair on his head. His outfit consisted of a green jacket with a white undershirt and a pair of brown trousers. "I could swear I saw Mew right behind you, just now! Did you see it was well?"

On a surface level, the boy seemed like a pretty nice fellow, if a bit eager. However, the note did say to keep her association with Mew a secret, lest she become a target for the villainous people who seek its power, like that woman who had summoned Darkrai earlier. "I'm sorry, but I didn't see anything behind me." Natasha lied, a tinge of guilt welling up inside her as the boy's joyous expression soon fell like a ton of bricks.

"O-Oh, I-I guess I was mistaken then…" The boy replied glumly, before his mood quickly perked back up a bit. "M-My name's Damian. I'm an aspiring Pokémon Trainer! Well I would be if I had a Pokémon…"

"Pleased to meet you Damian, I'm Natasha. I just spent the last hour or so running through the forest to escape from some cult that captured me." The purple-haired girl greeted back, a surprised expression forming on Damian's face.

"Y-You were captured by a cult?! Which one was it?!" He inquired urgently, his full attention on the girl as she recalled what little memories she had of her time there.

"I-I don't know what they were called but they worshiped Darkrai, going so far as to summon it via a sacrifice. The woman leading the cult was terrible; murdering two of her loyal followers in a fit of anger. They're still in the deepest parts of the woods so they could pose a serious threat to the people here." Natasha informed him, choosing not to mention how exactly she managed to escape.

"Well it's a good thing that The Augur is coming to Telnor Town today; we can inform him of this cult so he can crush them with his invincible Pokémon!" Damian gushed eagerly, with Natasha raising an eyebrow in curiosity with the boy soon noticing it. "Y-You don't know who The Augur is? How long have those cultists kept you captive for? Anyway, The Second Augur is the man who chose to continue The First Augur's war against the cults. He united the region and is currently planning a strategy to crush them all in one fell swoop!"

"Second Augur?" The girl asked further, with Damian's earlier response forming another question in her mind; how long DID those cultists keep her locked up for? Furthermore, why did they capture her in the first place? These were questions that she desperately wanted answers for, even if it meant embarking on a journey throughout the entire region.

"Yeah, the current Augur wasn't the first one; from what I've heard he managed to take out most of the cults before he disappeared under mysterious circumstances. But people don't talk about the First Augur for some reason, so it's best if we move onto another topic. Now as I said, the Augur's visiting this town soon; with everyone preparing a massive festival for him. Everyone in town is going to offer him gifts of appreciation, while I've yet to get one for him. oh, I know, why don't we work together to finish a few errands? That way we can show our gratitude for his efforts and gain favor with him." The boy rambled quickly, his fervent worship of the Augur was adorable, if a bit worrisome.

"Sure. Let me catch my breath at the Pokémon Center for a moment and I'll come join you." Natasha replied, hoping to kick her legs up for a moment.

"No problem! Meet me at the town hall once you're ready." Damian agreed, the teenage boy quickly making his way back to town as the girl watched him with an amused smile. He seemed like a very nice boy, to the point where she wouldn't mind being friends with him. However now wasn't the time to ponder about his attitude; right now she needed to get the basic necessities for her quest, and the nearby Pokémon Center was the best place to start.

**0000**

Having spent the last half an hour or so at the Pokémon Center, Natasha was surprised at how hi-tech it was. Both the mart and the center were in one building, meaning that she could buy and sell a few items while waiting for her Pokémon to get healed, when she eventually gets one. Furthermore, there was also a small stall to the right that sold clothes as well as a couple of changing booths she could use to test them out before buying them. Having done her initial shopping at the mart earlier, she spent the next ten or so minutes looking through and trying out various types of clothes, eventually settling for the outfit she deemed the most spectacular. It consisted of a black and yellow set of armor that was resistant to most Pokémon attacks, over a black shirt and pants that were a little tight over her body, as well as black and yellow boots and gloves. Additionally, a billowing purple cape that reached the back of her shins hung from around her neck, with a golden crown resting nicely on her head. Now that she was 100% ready, she opted to make her way to the town hall where Damian was.

Upon entering it, she saw that the place wasn't as crowded as she'd expected, though that could be deduced as the townsfolk being in the midst of preparations for the Augur's arrival. There were only two groups of people in the building; a pair of young men huddled in the corner whispering to each other, as well as a pair of adults talking to Damian, the girl assuming them to be his parents.

"I finished cleaning up the road, is there anything else I can do?" Damian asked his father, before noticing Natasha walking up to the trio. "Oh, hi Natasha. I had just told my parents about how I met you outside and offered to help out with the preparations."

"Nice to meet you, Natasha!" Damian's father greeted her, his wife shooting her a disinterested glance. "Well Damian, I think we're pretty well finished with the preparations. All you need now is your gift for the Augur and you're all done. You do have your gift, right?"

"Well uh…I was busy with preparations, and I may have forgotten to get one…" The young boy replied nervously, the father sighing quietly to himself.

"I see…in that case I have an idea on where to get one; there's a multitude of Rare Stones in Telnor Cave, nestled in the middle of Shade Forest. However, that place is dangerous, so you'll need to have a Pokémon with—" He began.

"No, Absolutely not! There's no way that's going to happen!" Damian's mother cut her husband off abruptly. "He is far from ready to get a Pokémon; he's still just a child!"

"But mom, everyone else already got their Pokémon a while ago and left town." Damian made his case, but it fell on deaf ears.

"And you're not going to follow them, you'll get yourself killed!" She shot back at him.

"Why do you care anyway? You're not even my real mother!" Damian retorted, causing Natasha to snicker under her breath.

"I've raised you since birth! You're incapable of raising a plant, let alone a Pokémon! You're irresponsible, antisocial and you can't even—" His mother retaliated, onlyfor the father to raise his hands in the air.

"That's enough! I'm tired of you two embarrassing us with your pointless bickering! Natasha, was it? Would you be willing to help him through the forest to the cave so he can get a gift for the Augur?" The father halted the argument, shooting a quick look at Natasha.

"Sure, I'd be willing to help him out!" Natasha smiled at her elder, only for the mother to scoff at her response.

"Fine, but don't come crying to me when he fails this task." The mother snidely replied, only for the young girl to shoot a glare at her.

"You know I'm tired of your constantly shooting down your son for wanting to go on a journey with a Pokémon. You branded him as antisocial, but that's probably a side-effect of your shitty parenting!" She snapped back at her elder, catching her totally off-guard.

"And who are you to tell me how to raise my son?! You think you can come in here and lecture me all while dressed up as some high and mighty noble?!" Damian's mother yelled at the teenage girl, but the latter chose not to back down.

"Yes, I can. I may not know a whole lot about parenting, but I'm sure I can do a better job than you. Heck, you're not even his real mother so who are YOU to raise him as your son?" Natasha retorted smugly, flapping her cape behind her. "Come Damian, let us get you your gift for the Augur."

"Y-Yes, Natasha." Damian quickly replied, following her out of the hall as everyone else was rendered speechless at her display, the two men in the corner watching her with mild amusement before resuming their conversation. "Th-Thanks for sticking up for me, but was your attitude really necessary?"

"I'm sorry for acting like that, but you've got to stand up for yourself sooner or later. Otherwise she's going to keep pushing you around and that's not fair." The purple-haired girl defended her actions. "On another note, how'd you like my new outfit? The one I had before was on the verge of breaking, so I asked the tailor in the Pokémon Center to repair it. It'll be done soon enough."

"I-I like it a lot, I think it suits you well." The young teen replied, with Natasha shooting him a smile of gratitude. "Anyway, Professor Sylvan is handing out Eevee to new trainers in her lab, so that's where we're heading. Come, I'll show you the way."

"Alright then, lead the way." Natasha agreed, they duo making their way to the south of town where the two-story lab stood proudly. Noticing that the door was slightly ajar, they opened it and entered the lab and were treated to a most unusual scene. Right before them were two adults, one male and one female arguing with one another. The female was rather tall and had medium length navy hair that reached below her shoulders, as well as a pair of reading glasses over her eyes. Her outfit consisted of a professor's garb with a small coffee stain on the left sleeve, with Natasha assuming that she was the Professor Sylvan that Damian had mentioned earlier.

"Listen Professor. I'm not gonna mince words here, but these Pokémon are freaks!" The man commented bluntly, holding a trio of Pokéballs in his arms. He was a rather shady looking fellow, keeping his body hidden with the large black trench coat he wore over his white business suit, a black fedora perched on top of his head. "No other trainer would want them, and I can't keep them any longer. All I want is for you to take them; you already keep a bunch of Eevee as is, surely these three won't be a bother?"

"Hmph…why do you care about them? I know what you've done to them." Professor Sylvan commented snidely at the man's demands, the latter letting out a quick sigh.

"It's true, I'm merciless; I've done some very awful things. But there's no reason for these Pokémon to die." He replied, only for Damian to raise his hand in the air.

"S-Sorry for cutting you two off, but I'm Damian and this is Natasha. We're here to get a Pokémon so we can get a gift for the Augur in the forest." He chimed in, attracting the man's attention as an idea formed in his mind.

"As I may have mentioned earlier, I'd have no choice but to release these if you don't take them. Given how they haven't had that much exposure to the wild, they're sure to starve to death within a week. If you don't want them that badly, you can just give them to these kids, right?"The man proposed, with Professor Sylvan huffing to herself before turning around.

"Fine, just put them on the table." She relented, the man nodding in appreciation as he placed the three Pokéballs on the empty table on the eastern side of the room. With a tip of his fedora, he made his way out of the lab as Natasha watched him go in curiosity. Who was that man exactly, and why did she get a sense of…familiarity from those Pokéballs he was holding? "So, you two are here for a Pokémon, right?" Professor Sylvan asked them, her mood a lot cheerier than before.

"Yes ma'am!" Damian replied quickly, the older woman turning to face the three lone balls on the table momentarily before looking back at the duo.

"That man you saw earlier? He was one of my colleagues back in university; a smart man and a great scientist…as well as the leader of the Cult of Perfection." She admitted, catching the young teen off-guard.

"A-A cult leader?!" He exclaimed, turning to face Natasha. "Natasha, was he the one who had captured you back then?"

"No, I don't recall seeing his face there. Besides, the cult that abducted me was led by a woman." She replied quickly.

"I see…" Damian said, turning back to the professor. "Those cultists are evil; why would you willingly associate with them?!"

A thoughtful look appeared on Sylvan's face, recalling the first thing her former colleague said about those Pokémon he gave her; how they were something called 'Delta Pokémon'. "Natasha, Damian. Have you two ever heard of something called Delta Pokémon?" She inquired, with the white-haired boy appearing genuinely puzzled by her question. However, something clicked in Natasha's mind; she had heard about them before and knew quite a bit about them, but from where exactly she did not know. Was this the reason why that cult captured her earlier, to obtain this information for themselves before killing her?

"I-I'm familiar with them; Delta Pokémon are the result of a phenomenon that started in the far away Holon Region. The most notable difference is that they have a different typing from regular members of their species. For example, a regular Diglett is a Ground type Pokémon, whereas Delta Diglett is an Ice/Normal type Pokémon." Natasha explained to her friend, surprising the professor with her intricate knowledge.

"Well it looks like you're already knowledgeable on the topic itself." Sylvan shot the young lady a smile.

"Bu-But how do you know so much about them? This is the first time I've heard of them." Damian inquired curiously, which posed a good question itself.

"I-I'm not so sure myself; I don't remember a lot about my life, the cult must've attempted to erase my memory somehow. Whatever the case, Delta Pokémon are one of the very few things I can remember." The purple-haired girl replied, with the professor making her way to the Pokéballs on the table.

"From what I could gather, these three Delta's seem to be experiments on Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirtle; and while I would like to keep one for myself, I don't exactly have the space for them at the moment. Besides, I could always ask one of my contacts in Holon to ship one to me for research purposes. But if neither of you are interested in one, I'm more than happy to give you two an Eevee." She offered, pressing the button on the balls to open them as the two teenagers got their first look at a Delta Pokémon.

As she had mentioned earlier, they were variations of Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirtle. The Bulbasaur had a hot pink body with various blue and pink spots on its forehead and sides. The large bulb on its back was royal blue in color, with more pink spots all over it as well as a couple of white tufts on the bottom that were the tips of its vines. Finally, it had a small white daisy nestled comfortably above its left ear. The Charmander though, was a little more menacing, it's body completely skeletal in nature. A small purple flame flickered on the tip of its tail as it shot a toothy grin of curiosity at the duo. Finally, the Squirtle had a pitch-black body stemming out of its bright red shell, a series of thin black cloth wrapped around it's wrists, eyes and neck as if it was dressing up as a ninja.

Damian, out of a sense of curiosity approached the three and extended his hand to them so they can sniff it. The Pokémon slowly approached him and took in a slow sniff before eying him up wearily. "Looks like they're a little shy; why don't you reassure them that you mean no harm?" He asked Natasha, the purple-haired teen nodding as she approached the Pokémon and reached out to them. Like before, the Pokémon took in a slow sniff, only this time they were a lot more affectionate, nuzzling her hand and even requested some petting from her.

"Heehee, I guess they like me." Natasha giggled to herself, with Sylvan watching the scene as a sense of intrigue overcame her.

'_Incredible…she managed to win the trust of these Delta's so quickly. Perhaps there's something special about her after all.' _She thought to herself, with Damian approaching her for a request.

"Since those Delta Pokémon are incredibly fond of Natasha, would it be a problem if I got an Eevee from you?" He asked politely.

"Not at all, young man!" Sylvan smiled at him, handing him a Pokéball from her lab coat with Damian thanking her profusely.

"Thanks Professor!" Damian smiled back at her, turning to face Natasha who was enjoying her time with her new Delta Pokémon. "Before we head out to Shade Forest, why don't we have a little battle to start things off?"

"Alright then. However, I'll only be battling with one since at the moment you're at a huge disadvantage." Natasha agreed, turning to face her Pokémon. "So who's ready for their first battle?"

The three Pokémon were still staring at the white-haired boy with a sense of unease before Squirtle opted to step up to the plate, letting out a chirp of confidence. With a quick nod of confidence, Damian threw his Pokéball and sent out his newly acquired Eevee, the small but fluffy Pokémon letting out a chirp before gazing at the Squirtle and backed off a little in fear. "D-Don't worry Eevee, it's not dangerous. It's just like a regular Squirtle." He cooed at his new Pokémon, the Eevee regaining its composure before staring down the Squirtle and opted to charge at it, the small turtle retracting into its shell in the nick of time as it was sent flying back into the wall. The Squirtle managed to catch itself on the wall and bounced off it, lunging at the Eevee as it collided with it, sending the small Pokémon skidding back a couple feet.

Shaking it's head to regain composure, the Eevee quickly lunged at the Squirtle and kicked it with its hind legs, the small turtle letting out a cry of surprise as it was flung back a couple feet and landed on the back of its shell, flailing its arms and legs in the air. A spark of inspiration soon formed in the turtles' mind, as it tucked its limbs into its shell and began spinning inside rapidly, flying towards the Eevee and struck its side as the small Pokémon was flung back towards the wall and crumpled onto the floor, unable to continue battling.

"W-Woah, that was quicker than I expected." Damian gasped in awe, running up to his Eevee to check up on it. "Thank goodness you're not hurt too seriously."

"Sorry about that, I guess I didn't realize just how strong my Delta Pokémon were." Natasha chuckled sheepishly, with Bulbasaur and Charmander staring at Squirtle with a sense of awe.

"With skills like that, I'm confident that you can take on the Torren League challenge with ease." The young teen chimed back at her. "Once we've healed up our Pokémon, we should go through Shade Forest and into Telnor Cave to find a gift for the Augur."

"Wait, before you two go, I would like you to have this." Sylvan called out, making her way to the desk at the back before retrieving two small devices from the drawer and handed one to each of the duo. "These are your Pokédex; every beginning trainer gets one after receiving their starter. The data you collect from finding and catching Pokémon will be transferred to me so I can continue my research unhindered. And with that, I wish you two the best of luck in your journey!"

"Thank you so much for your kindness, rest assured we will not disappoint you!" Natasha pledged, with Damian joining in as the duo left the laboratory to prepare for their journey. Though there were a multitude of questions racing in Natasha's mind, one of them was of the utmost priority; why was she so knowledgeable on the subject of Delta Pokémon, on top of being their version of catnip? It was almost like she had some sort of invisible gift, though what exactly it was is a mystery to her.

**And that about wraps this chapter up nice and neatly. I know some people may not like how Natasha managed to scoop up all three Delta starters easily, but I felt it played into the mystery surrounding her rather well. Speaking of which, I'll be putting down a list of acquired Delta's at the end of the chapter from now on so that everyone reading knows where she's up to at the moment. Thank you all for reading, I'll see you all in the next chapter.**

**Acquired Delta Pokémon:**

**D. Bulbasaur**

**D. Charmander**

**D. Squirtle**


	3. Chapter 3

**When we last left off, Natasha was introduced to a phenomenon known as Delta Pokémon, a concept that she was strangely familiar with. In this chapter, she will assist her new friend Damian in acquiring a gift for the Augur…only to stumble upon a conspiracy against the great man himself.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon Insurgence; it is the property of its creators.**

Having finished their preparations for their journey to Telnor Cave, Natasha and Damian went their separate towards the cave so as to get in a bit of private training while they were retrieving their gift for the Augur. This was beneficial to Natasha as she could use this opportunity to learn a bit more about her Delta Pokémon, and potentially find out the reason she knew so much about them. Finding a quite clearing in the forest to train momentarily, she sent out her three Pokémon and encouraged them to stretch their legs, on the condition that they don't wander off away from her.

The Delta Bulbasaur was investigating the nearby plant life, sniffing the nearby berries cautiously before taking one off the bush and began eating it slowly. It soon determined that the berries were safe to eat, letting out a quick chirp at the other two to come join it as the Squirtle and Charmander made their way towards their friend. There, they spent the next couple minutes gathering as much berries as possible before sitting down on the soft grassy terrain and began eating at a casual pace.

"Incredible…that guy was wrong about them starving to death." Natasha commented in awe, bringing out her Pokédex to collect whatever information she could on the three Delta Species before her. From a cursory glance at the device, she was able to determine that the Bulbasaur was Fairy/Psychic, the Charmander was Ghost/Dragon, and the Squirtle was Dark/Fighting. This had struck her as odd; if what she knew about her knowledge was correct, she would've been able to determine their typing easily, but she had to use her Pokédex to gain an insight on her companions. Then again, there was the implication that the man who dropped them off had experimented on them, hence why they felt a little…different from your standard Delta Species.

Once the three Pokémon had their fill, they began a series of mock battles against each other to gain experience and grow stronger, with Natasha keeping an eye on them to ensure that they didn't accidentally go overboard and hurt each other. During the training session, the purple-haired girl's mind wandered back to Damian; how was he handling his new responsibilities? It's not that she could fault him for his eagerness, but she was a little concerned over how nervous he and jumpy he seemed. However, she was confident that he would be able to manage taking care of a Pokémon once he manages to get a full understanding of the basics. Soon enough, her Pokémon had finished their private training session, a little exhausted but satisfied over the progress they had made. Shooting a small smile at her friends, she recalled them back to their balls and continued her journey towards Telnor Cave, going deeper into the forest. Eventually, she stumbled into a clearing and saw what appeared to be a small mountain on an islet surrounded by a crystal-clear lake, a small wooden bridge connecting the two bits of land together. There was a small opening on the cliffside near the bridge, leading Natasha to believe that this was Telnor Cave. Taking a few steps closer to investigate it, the purple-haired girl's ears soon perked up, causing her to look side-to-side frantically before hiding behind a boulder near the opening, and saw a pair of those Darkrai cultists from before search the nearby woods.

"Tch, where could that brat be? We've spent over an hour searching for her!" The first cultist complained, searching the bushes near their feet.

"I don't see why we have to find her. Persephone was just going to kill her anyway; let the elements do the job for her." The second cultist replied casually.

"You don't understand; the computer showed that the memory-erasure wasn't completed yet, meaning that she could still remember some things. And if she remembers enough to pose a threat, then that could spell our doom…" The first cultist reminded their comrade.

"Let's check out that nearby town for her; it's the first place I'd go if I were lost." The second cultist suggested.

"A-Are you crazy?! The Augur is visiting that place; we'd get crushed within an instant." The first cultist shot back, an idea forming in their mind. "Let's try out luck searching Midna Town; I know a shortcut that ensures we don't have to go through Telnor Cave."

"Thank goodness for that; I never liked how chilly that place got at times." The second cultist agreed, with Natasha sighing in relief as she saw those two leave the nearby area. Once the coast was clear, she got out from behind the boulder and entered the cave behind her.

**0000**

Upon setting foot into Telnor Cave for the first time, a slight chill went up her back; seems that cultist wasn't lying about how could the cave was. Looking within her general vicinity, she saw several pools of cold water lying about the cavern, beside an intricate path that lead up and down various ledges and towards an opening with a ladder leading down to a second chamber of the cave. Walking cautiously on the path, Natasha climbed up a slippery, but not-so steep ledge and walked slowly down the second ledge so as to not fall flat on her face. now with the hard part out of the way, she made her to the ladder and climbed down it, only to get blasted by another cold draft; whatever was causing the cold air must be lurking down here. Hopping off the ladder and scanned the nearby area, she soon saw what looked like a small opening, the edges coated in a thin layer of ice. Taking a deep breath, she walked towards the chamber and opened it, only to get caught off-guard by what was inside.

Minding it's own business idly was a Delta Diglett, the fuzzy mole Pokémon breaking open some small chunks of ice with its sharp teeth before eating whatever berries and roots were encased in the ice. The entire cavern itself had a thin layer of ice, causing Natasha to move slowly towards the Diglett so as to not fall over and make a fool of herself. Unfortunately, for her, she stepped a bit too far and ended up slipping on the ice, falling onto her side as she let out a wince of pain.

"Argh…I think I bruised myself." She complained, sitting back up as the Diglett ceased what it was doing before and turned to face her, moving up to her before taking a cautionary sniff. "Hey, looks like you're a curious fellow." Natasha smiled at the Diglett, petting its head affectionally as it cooed in happiness.

"Dig! Dig!" The Diglett chirped, enjoying the petting it was receiving as the purple-haired girl took out a Pokéball from her bag and showed it to the mole Pokémon.

"Do you want to come with me?" She offered, the Diglett eyeing up the Pokéball before nodding in confirmation, its head touching the button on the device as it promptly entered the ball afterwards, the light soon dying down to indicate a successful capture. "Alright, another friend to join the gang!" Natasha smiled to herself, putting the Pokéball away before slowly getting up and exited the frozen cavern. Upon returning to the previous chamber, she could tell that the chill in the air was gone, or at the very least a lot more tolerable. Could it be that the Diglett was the cause of the cavern's coldness, and if so, what was an Ice type Pokémon doing so far away from the northern parts of Tandor, where the weather was a lot colder than down here? Either way, those were questions that can be put on hold at the moment, as there were more important matters at hand. Continuing her trek through the cave, she soon noticed what seemed to be a cracked boulder lying atop a small ledge, the purple-haired girl investigating it and saw what appeared to be an orange and red stone that resembled the sun, a sense of warmth emanating from it. Picking it up from the rubble to get a closer look at it, Natasha determined it to be a sufficient gift before promptly putting it in her bag.

"That's my gift found; now to find Damian and let him know I'm ready." She said to herself, briefly checking her sides before noticing another opening right behind the boulder and opted to go through it. There, she saw Damian digging through the dirt and held out an impressive looking stone, shining brightly in whatever little light was present in the cave.

"There we go, I finally found my gift." Damian spoke to himself, turning around and Saw Natasha approaching him. "Hey, what took you so long? I was here for at least fifteen minutes."

"Sorry, I got a little distracted and explored the cave for a bit. Don't worry, I already found my gift for the Augur." She replied, briefly looking at the stone he held in his hand.

"That's good to here! Now we can—" The white-haired boy began.

"He will not leave Telnor Town alive…" A mysterious voice echoed throughout the cave, catching the duo off-guard as they searched the nearby area for the source of the voice. Noticing a pair of figures on a wooden bridge over a fairly large pool of water, the duo crept up towards them to eavesdrop on the conversation, making sure to not get spotted. And though they couldn't get a good look at the two figures, they could tell that one was a woman with mid-length bluish-white hair, and the other was a fairly old man with what appeared to be a beret over his head.

"My agent is already in place, I assume yours is, too?" The old man inquired.

"Yes; they're armed with the strongest of Pokémon I have to offer." The woman replied in a calm, collected manner. "Rest assured, he _will_ be dead before he leaves Telnor Town.

"Very good, this Augur disgusts me." The man commented, a look of contempt in his eyes. "Loathe as I am to admit it, I could grudgingly respect the first one for his valor and courage, but this one is just useless. He's practically brainwashed the entire region with all this propaganda he's spread about himself."

"I've heard how ridiculous it is; how he was born of fire and lightning and rode Xerneas as a steed? He's only been Augur for a year and already the people are worshiping him. Rather hypocritical of him to denounce the cults while forming his own cult under the guise of saving the region from us." The woman added, rolling her eyes over how cringeworthy it all sounded.

"Thankfully we won't have to worry about him after today, do we?" The old man smirked, the duo going their separate was as a look of horror appeared on Damian's face.

"Th-Those were cultists, Natasha! And they plan on assassinating the Augur! Come, we must hurry back to town and warn him of this threat." He told the purple-haired girl.

"Say no more, Damian. Let's get moving as soon as possible!" She replied, the duo quickly running through the cave to head back to town. During the trip, a thought popped into her mind; those two people were most definitely from separate cults, but had formed a temporary truce to put an end to the Augur, were they the only cults in on this plan, or are there several other cults pitching in to assist them? Regardless, she and Damian would ensure that no harm would befall the Augur.

**Telnor Town**

Having quickly ran back to town, the duo found Damian's father waiting outside the town hall, a look of slight annoyance on his face as he approached the duo. "And where have you two been? The Augur arrived five minutes ago, and is waiting for you two." He informed them.

"Thanks mister, we've got something important to tell him!" Natasha blurted, as she and Damian quickly ran inside, the older man eyeing them up oddly before following them inside. Upon entering the spacious building, the duo saw dozens upon dozens of townsfolk in a tight crowd before the Augur, all of them bearing gifts of considerable value. They quickly scanned the crowd to spot anyone who they deemed to be suspicious, but unfortunately nobody stood out from the rest. But despite the situation, the Augur appeared calm and collected, blissfully unaware of the threat to his life as he gestured at the young duo to come approach him.

"Ah, hello you two. I'm Jaern, the Second Augur of Torren. You two appear a little flustered but do not worry, I mean you no harm. Now then, what are your names?" Jaern greeted the duo.

"I-I'm Damian and th-this is Natasha. W-We've come to warn you of a threat against your life!" Damian stammered, the crowd gasping surprise as they soon began murmuring amongst each other.

"M-Mr Augur, I'm so sorry about worrying you. My son has an active imagi—" Damian's father attempted to apologize for his son's accusation.

"He's telling the truth; I heard it was well. There are two people here who are in on this plot, from two different cults respectively." The purple-haired girl backed him up, an ominous laugh coming from the back as a pair of men approached the Augur, with Natasha recognizing them as the duo whispering amongst each other.

"So you've heard about the plan…? In that case, you leave us with no choice." The first man replied, taking off his disguise to reveal a tight-blue scuba suit with a few patterns that resembled those on Kyogre's body. The man's companion took off his disguise and showed his own cult uniform, which consisted of a standard leather shirt and pants, topped off with a red hood and cloak that bore a striking similarity to that of Groudon. "Surrender to us, Augur and we'll make your death quick!"

"Like we'll let you succeed!" Damian retorted, running up to confront them with Natasha joining him soon afterwards.

"Hehehe, you brats have been watching too many superhero movies. We're cultists who pack strong Pokémon and some top-notch weaponry. We only came here to kill the Augur, but we won't say no to disposing of a pair of meddlesome brats!" The blue cultist jeered at them.

"Please, like I'm afraid of a gutless coward who threatens children with a weapon. We're a lot stronger than you two losers, so do us all a favor and go home." Natasha mocked the cultist, wounding his ego as he growled at the teenage girl.

"I'll make you eat those words; stand by for battle Skrelp!" The cultist yelled, sending out his first Pokémon as the sea dragon flopped on the floor before getting up onto its tail. The purple-haired girl eyed up the Pokémon momentarily before choosing to send out her Delta Bulbasaur, the calm Pokémon letting out a quick chirp as the crowd cooed in awe at the sight.

"I'll deal with that Skrelp with a single attack; Confusion!" Natasha declared, the Bulbasaur's eyes glowing a dark pink as the Skrelp was soon encased in a blue aura that restricted its movements. The sea dragon tried desperately or break free, wiggling its body fervently to escape, but to no avail as it was soon flung towards the back wall and crashed into it, sliding down to the ground as it let out a weak gasp of pain before fainting from exhaustion.

"M-My Skrelp!" The cultist cried out in shock over seeing his Pokémon get defeated so easily before recalling it quickly. "Horsea, teach this brat a lesson in pain!"

He flung his Pokéball to the ground, the device opening soon enough as a Horsea popped out and gazed at the Bulbasaur before shooting a quick stream of water at the Crystal Pokémon. The Bulbasaur was caught off-guard by the attack and staggered back a few feet, slipping on a recently created water puddle and fell onto its stomach. However it soon got back onto its feet and fired a flurry of seeds from its bulb that landed on the Horsea's body, a few small vines sprouting from the seeds and wrapped around the small Pokémon and began draining if of its energy as the seahorse let out a quick cry of pain. Gaining a second wind, the Bulbasaur arched its back and emitted a quick gust of pink wind from its bulb, the attack striking the weakened seahorse directly and sent it flying towards the cultists feet, a slack-jawed look on his face as he promptly recalled it.

"H-How could a kid like you defeat a member of the Abyssal Cult?!" He exclaimed, turning to his side and saw the other cultist get effortlessly crushed by Damian. "Th-That's it! Time to bring out the big—"

"Oh no you don't!" Jaern exclaimed, making his way past the two teenagers to confront the cult. "Trying to kill me is one thing, but to threaten innocent children? That's one strike too many; I'm sending you two to Helios City for your trial!"

"P-Please, have mercy!" The red cultist pleaded; the two men eyeing up the Augur in fear.

"Beg as much as you like; your future won't be bright once I'm done with you… _Vinculorum mortae!_" The blonde man stated, outstretching his arm as the two cultists were soon enveloped in a golden aura, disappearing from the town hall in a manner of seconds as Damian turned to face him, a weary look in his eyes. "Do not fret, young one. I merely teleported them to Helios City to await their trial."

"I see…" The white-haired boy replied.

"My sincerest apologies for having you two fight my battles, but your earlier boasts got me intrigued and I wanted to see how you'd fare in battle. Don't worry, I would've saved you had you two been defeated. I'm most impressed by your talent and bravery; you're more than welcome to visit me in Helios City. As for me, I have a…trial to attend to." Jaern told them, making his way to leave the hall when Natasha called out to him.

"W-Wait sir! Before you go, there's something you need to know; there's a cult hiding in Shade Forest and they managed to summon Darkrai. They had imprisoned me, but I was able to escape the other night." She informed him, a look of intrigue appearing on the man's face, but she could've sworn there was another emotion hidden beneath it.

"I see…in that case I'll investigate this cult once the trial's over. Thank you for informing me about this." He replied, adding a kick to his step as he promptly exited the building, the townsfolk eyeing up the two teens in respect as Damian's father approached them.

"Well it looks like you impressed the Augur today, young man. Your foster mother's going to have a hard time keeping you here once I tell her about this." He commented, embracing his son in a tight hug. "I'm so proud of you, my boy. You're more than welcome to go out on an adventure."

"T-Thanks dad…" Damian smiled at him, the duo soon separating from one another. "I'll meet up with my friends at Midna Town and participate in the Trainer School Tournament. Once I win, I'll make sure to let you know all about it!"

"A small tournament in the nearby town? Sounds interesting; mind if I join?" Natasha inquired, with the white-haired boy nodding fervently.

"Sure thing! Just don't come crying to me when you lose!" He retorted.

"Getting cocky I see…why don't we race there as a little warm-up beforehand?" The purple-haired girl suggested, a grin forming on her friend's face.

"Oh, you are so on!" Damian replied, the duo quickly running out of the town hall and towards the forest, the father watching them go with a sense of satisfaction as he knew that Damian had a friend to keep an eye out for him. The duo was initially neck and neck, but a combination of Natasha's lacking skill in endurance and her impressive but weighted outfit enabled Damian to overtake her and charge ahead through the cave and onto the next route. A few minutes later, the purple-haired girl managed to stagger out of the cave and onto the next route, taking a breather by a sign that read _'Midna Town: 1 mile away'_.

"Phew…that kid has a nice pair of running legs…" Natasha panted lightly, her nostrils soon picking up an incredibly sweet scent, similar to that of a freshly baked pastry. Following the scent, she knelt down by a bush and parted the leaves and was met by the source of the scent. Siting right before her eyes was a cream-colored Dwebble, its shell covered in a thick cream with a plump cherry resting on the top of the shell. The Dwebble spotted the teenage girl and scuttled towards her, leaning over towards her as if gesturing her to try the cream on its shell. Scooping up a small amount with her finger, she popped the cream into her mouth and licked it, a wondrous sensation coursing her body as her tongue quivered in joy over the delectable taste. "T-This is utterly amazing!" She complimented the small Pokémon.

This had pleased the Dwebble greatly, the crab Pokémon letting out a series of small chirps as the purple-haired girl gently scooped it up with her hands to take a closer look at it. Based on its coloration and attitude, she could tell that it was a Fairy/Normal Delta Dwebble, often nicknamed the Cake Dwebble due to its unique shell. Not wanting to leave it on its own, she asked it if it wanted to come with her, and it nodded fervently. Taking out an empty Pokéball from her bag, the Delta Dwebble tapped the device with its claw and promptly entered the ball, the light dying down a few seconds later. With yet another friend added to the gang, Natasha promptly got up and continued the short but arduous trek to Midna Town.

**Another good chapter done and dusted; the next one will be longer than the previous ones as it covers a fair amount of content from the game. Most notably, it'll have Natasha's first meeting with Nora which'll lay the groundwork for their relationship. Thank you all for reading, I'll see you all in the next chapter.**

**Acquired Delta Pokémon:**

**D. Bulbasaur**

**D. Charmander**

**D. Squirtle **

**D. Diglett**

**D. Dwebble (Cake) **


	4. Chapter 4

**Welcome one and all to the next chapter; I hope you all enjoy it as it has an exciting tournament pitting Natasha against her two best friends. It's a high-stakes match that'll demonstrate just how powerful all three trainers are**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon Insurgence; it is the property of its creators.**

**Midna Town**

Having taken her first steps into the town, Natasha was taken aback by how large it was when compared to Telnor Town. Granted, it wasn't as large as a city, but it was still pretty large and packed with hundreds of citizens doing their daily business. Quickly entering the nearby Pokémon Center, the purple-haired girl placed her Pokéballs into the small machine to the right of the nurse's desk to get healed, sitting down on a nearby table as she overheard a pair of young women chatting about the Second Augur.

"Can you believe how strong the Second Augur is? They say that he was the hero who saved the Tandor region from nuclear Armageddon, without wearing a hazmat suit. It's like his very presence was able to dispel the radioactive air around him." The first woman, who had short blonde hair chimed in.

"I heard that he was able to crush Team Meteor and Team Xen at the same time, on his own! It's like he was blessed by Arceus itself." The second woman added, this one sporting long blue hair. But a slightly puzzled expression soon appeared on her face. "Then again, we barely hear anything about the First Augur anymore, so who knows how powerful they were."

"They couldn't have been all that strong, given that they disappeared during the war against the cults. But they did disband over half the cults plaguing our region, so I'll give them kudos for that." The first woman replied, a light '_ding_' ringing out as Natasha went to the machine and received her Pokéballs back, offering the nurse her thanks before exiting the building. The small conversation she overheard raised a question in her mind; namely why are people hesitant on mentioning the First Augur? It's one thing to idolize the Second Augur, but an entirely different story to ignore the existence of his predecessor. It could be a successful propaganda campaign like those two cultists mentioned earlier in Telnor Cave, so that could explain the more…exaggerated details of his achievements. However, she chose to put the question aside for now and made her way to the Midna Trainer School to meet up with Damian.

Upon entering the vast school, she found Damian talking to an older woman, with Natasha assuming her to be the teacher. Soon enough, the teacher noticed the teenage girl enter the building and gestured at her to come over to her. "Ah, you must be the Natasha that Damian told me about. It's nice to meet you."

"Same here, miss. I wish to participate in the tournament." Natasha stated, the older woman raising her hand to her chin.

"That's wonderful; we're always happy to have new trainers join in, even if they don't attend the school. However, we cannot start the tournament yet until Nora arrives. If you can find her, I'll guarantee you a position in the tournament." She proposed an offer.

"Sounds like a plan!" The purple-haired girl agreed. "But where would I begin searching?"

"From what I've heard, she hangs around the Midna Mine from time to time. It's the cavern right near the school building; I'd check it out myself, but I need to keep an eye on my students. Thanks for helping me out on this!" The teacher thanked her, with Natasha promptly exiting the building and making her way to the nearby mine. Upon stepping inside it, she was taken aback by how small it was when compared to the rest of the town. The opening chamber was a vast circle of sorts with various trainers breaking the small, rugged rocks in the hopes of finding treasure, with a small opening laying in the center of the small crater at the bottom of the mine. Taking a guess that this Nora would be training in the area beyond this opening, Natasha slowly began her descent down the slope and towards the opening, creeping beyond it and entered a small chamber, where she promptly hid behind a nearby rock and watched the scene before her.

Standing in the center of the elevated platform was the most beautiful girl Natasha has ever seen. Appearing roughly the same age as her, the girl had long green hair that reached her back, shiny blue eyes and a modestly curvy figure; a headband with a white flower resting in her hair. Her outfit consisted of a short-sleeved green shirt with leafy patterns on it, a blue pleated skirt that reached her thighs, and a pair of white, thigh-high socks that were topped off with a pair of green loafers. Surveying the scene cautiously, the green-haired teen collected herself before surveying a set of four fossils before her. "All right, the fossils are in place! you can do it Celebi, I believe in you!" She declared.

"Celebi…?" Natasha mused to herself, her eyes widening in surprise as the legendary time traveler Pokémon appeared before the teenager and gaze at the fossils, the small Pokémon channeling its inner power as the fossils were soon surrounded by a temporal aura. Within a few moments, the fossils were soon transformed into their original forms; a Kabutops, Omastar, Bastiodon and Armaldo. But unbeknownst to the purple-haired teen, a familiar friend re-materialized right behind her.

"You did it! I'm so proud of you! after all the hard work we've put in, it finally paid off." The green-haired teen praised her companion, with Celebi chirping happily as it proceeded to revert the Pokémon back to their fossilized forms. But as they were about to leave, the duo were soon caught off-guard by a second chirping, turning to the side to see Mew approaching them, a starting Natasha seeing her companion and making her way towards it.

"Mew, what are you doing? They're busy with their own busi—oh, hi…eheheheheh." The purple-haired girl chuckled uneasily, realizing that she was caught red-handed.

"W-Who are you and how much did you see?!" The green-haired girl demanded, eyeing her up suspiciously as the latter raised her hands in surrender.

"I-I saw all of it, but I mean you no harm, honestly." Natasha admitted, watching Mew and Celebi float closer to each other and chirp to each other, as if they were old friends catching up with one another.

"Well a mythical Pokémon like Mew wouldn't travel with a liar, so I guess it's safe to trust you. The name's Nora, and as you can see, I was chosen by Celebi, just like how you were chosen by Mew." She introduced herself.

"The name's Natasha, but what do you mean by chosen? From what I remember, Mew chose to save me from the clutches of some cult hiding in Shade Woods." The purple-haired girl introduced herself back.

"In that case, an explanation would be beneficial. See, a long time ago there was this prophecy written about the Torren region, and it mentions the cults and the Augur. It is said that a trainer chosen by a mythical Pokémon would be the one to save the region from the cults. Mythical Pokémon are a subcategory of legendary Pokémon, that include Pokémon such as Mew, Victini and Hoopa. When the cults learned of this prophecy, they formed a temporary truce of sorts to rid the region of this trainer. Which is why I train with Celebi in private, to avoid any unwanted attention from the cults. Thankfully, the first Augur was able to make things a lot easier by disbanding over half the cults plaguing the region, before his unfortunate disappearance. Some people thought the prophecy was about him because his partner was Hoopa; but as you know he disappeared a year ago." Nora explained the prophecy to Natasha, a look of intrigue appearing on her face.

"Fascinating…do you this the Second Augur is friends with a mythical Pokémon?" She inquired, with Nora shaking her head back.

"No, I don't think he was chosen by anyone. Keep this between us, but I think he's absolutely useless. He talks big about saving the Torren region from the cults, yet he hasn't disbanded a single one. Now that I know I'm not alone, I guess we can train together in order to hone our skills." The green-haired girl replied.

"I'll be more than happy to train with someone as cute and talented as you." Natasha smiled back at Nora, a faint blush creeping up on the latter's soft face.

"T-That sounds like a good idea." Nora replied, quickly shaking her head to dispel her blushing cheeks. "Anyway, it's best if you keep quiet about your friendship with Mew; I don't want you to get hunted down by the cults."

"Don't worry, I'll keep quiet about Mew, though given that I escaped their base, I'm afraid that at least one cult is already after me. It's a long story, so I'll explain it on the way back to school." The purple-haired girl took her advice into consideration.

"Back to school…the tournament! I completely forgot about that. We better head up there and fast, lest we miss out on the tournament!" The green-haired girl exclaimed, gesturing at Natasha to follow her quickly, with the duo beginning the quick trek back to the school building.

**Midna Town Trainers School**

Having arrived at the school in time, the teacher turned to face the newcomers, a look of relief on her face over seeing Nora safe and sound. "You're a little late Nora, is everything alright?" She inquired.

"Yes, I'm fine. Sorry for being late, but I was getting in some last-minute training for the tournament. On the plus side, I met this lovely young trainer and encouraged her to join the tournament as well." Nora chimed back, gesturing at Natasha.

"I figured that this tournament should provide me with some additional training, and it never hurts to have extra training." Natasha commented, with the teacher giving her a slow nod.

"Wonderful; you two are just in time to join the tournament! Come this way." She called out to the duo, who made their way to the small crowd as the adult stepped upon a small battlefield at the back of the classroom. "Welcome one and all, to the next Midna School tournament, and it'll be the biggest one yet! We have two new contestants from outside the school; Damian and Natasha from Telnor Town. How will they fare against our students? There's only one way to find out!"

The students all cheered eagerly, curious to see just how well the newcomers would fare against them. One by one they took their places on either side of the arena and duked it out against one another, hoping to win and secure the secret prize for first place. A few battles later, it was down to only four trainers with Natasha and Damian being called out, the students curious to see how the former would fare given that she hasn't been called out yet.

"We're up to the semi-finals, and it's between the two newcomers; Damian and Natasha. We already saw how Damian defeated his first opponent, but what skills does Natasha possess? Let's find out right away!" The teacher called out, with the crowd eagerly watching the duo make their way to the arena.

"You may have beaten me in our first battle, but I've grown a lot since we last fought. Allow me to show you the fruits of my training!" Damian declared, sending out his Corphish with Natasha sending out her Dwebble, causing the crowd to murmur at the sight.

"Woah, that doesn't look like an ordinary Dwebble…"

"Could it be one of those Delta Species I've heard about?"

"This is gonna be so great!"

"D-Deltas Species? C-Could it be…?" Nora mused to herself, the teacher impressed over the crowds' reaction.

"Let's start off with a simple Powder Snow, Dwebble!" Natasha called out, the small hermit crab rearing its claws in the air and breathed a small gust of cold wind at the Corphish, the lobster's body tensing up over the cool breeze as its claws started to freeze solid. But it wasn't deterred by the attack, merely scuttling towards the Dwebble and slammed its frozen claws onto its hard shell, breaking free from its icy prison as the Dwebble quickly spun to the other side. The small crab emerged from its shell, staggering on the spot in confusion momentarily, before scuttling towards its foe and leapt into the air, landing on top of its foe and pounded its back with its claws. The Corphish let out a low chirp of pain, shaking its body in an attempt to get its foe off its back. It was able to successfully shake the Dwebble off, only for the small crab to charge at its foe and hoist it into the air, twirling it around a few times before throwing it to the ground, the lobster skidding back a few feet, only for it to crumple into a pile, unable to continue battling.

"Talk about a quick finish! How will Damian respond to Natasha's Delta Dwebble?" The teacher announced, watching the young man recall his Pokémon.

"Don't worry, I've got a way to deal with that Dwebble. Luxio, kick things off with a Spark!" He called out, sending out his next Pokémon as the Luxio calmly trotted onto the field, shooting a glare at the hermit crab before cloaking its body in static electricity and charged at it. it soon collided with the Dwebble, causing it to chirp in surprise as it was flung back a few feet before slowly getting right back up. It then released a sweet scent from its cream-encrusted shell, captivating both the audience and the enemy Luxio. However, the Spark Pokémon soon recovered from the smell and began collecting static electricity in its fur, the hairs on its back standing up straight. It then proceeded to lunge at the Dwebble once more, only for the latter to leapt up in the air, its body surrounded by a glowing gold aura that formed a five-pointed star before swooping down towards the Luxio. The two combatants collided with one another, kicking up a sizable cloud of smoke that blanketed the field, only for it to die down a few moments later and reveal that both Luxio and Dwebble were knocked out.

"And we have a draw! How will Damian recover from this pinch he's in? What other amazing Pokémon does Natasha have up her sleeve? We'll find out soon enough in the Midna School Tournament!" The teacher commentated, the duo recalling both their Pokémon as they promptly made their selection, with Damian sending out his Eevee and Natasha sending out her Charmander.

Almost immediately, the Eevee turned around and wagged its tail fervently, catching the Charmander off-guard as it was confused by the sudden display of affection. However, it wouldn't just take the attack standing and opted to spew a draconic gust of wind from its mouth, the gust forming a twister that lifted the Eevee up in the air before dropping it onto the hard ground. Wincing to itself, the Evolution Pokémon, shot a quick glare at the Charmander before lunging at it and bit its arm, the skeletal Pokémon crying out in surprise as it ran around the arena for a few sends to shake its foe off, but the Eevee held onto it firmly. Eventually, it opted to scratch its foe, causing the Normal-type Pokémon to let go before Charmander followed up with a barrage of small flames from its mouth, the attack striking the Eevee head on as it was flung back towards Damian's feet. It attempted to get back up and continue fighting, only to collapse onto the ground as the teacher blew into her whistle.

"Talk about a spectacular way to end the match; Natasha emerges victorious with her amazing Delta Pokémon! But will she be able to defeat Nora to secure victory, or will Nora add another notch to her long list of victories?" The teacher called out, a slight hint of boredom in her tone as if she wasn't all that interested in the previous battle. Upon recalling their Pokémon, Damian and Natasha shook hands with one another in respect for the other.

"That was a great match! Seems I need to train harder in order to defeat you one day." The young teen smiled at his friend.

"I'm sure that day will come eventually; just don't expect me to be a complete pushover." Natasha replied, watching Damian make his way back to the crowd as Nora soon stepped up to the plate. "Guess this is it; may the best trainer win."

"Indeed, this battle will be a good way to see if my hunch about you is correct." The green-haired girl smiled, with both trainers making their way to the respective sides before sending out their first Pokémon, with Nora choosing her Sewaddle and Natasha choosing her Diglett.

The fuzzy mole spent a few moments sniffing the air around it, before gazing at the Sewaddle and blew a chilling gust of wind from its mouth, the small caterpillar shivering on the spot as small shards of ice formed on the leaf surrounding its head. However, the Sewaddle was able to break free of the gust and lunged at the mole, its tiny jaws clamping down on the Digletts' head as it shook itself fervently to get the caterpillar off its head. Once it was free from its foes grasp, the mole charged towards it, its paws emerging from the ground as it began scratching the Sewaddle fervently, the caterpillar letting out a quick chirp of pain as it was sent flying back a few feet before crumpling on the floor, unable to continue battling.

"Talk about a head start; Natasha was able to defeat Nora's Sewaddle easily. But if she thinks its over, then she couldn't be further from the truth!" The teacher called out, with Nora promptly returning her Pokémon to its ball.

"Not bad, not bad at all. But how will it fare against my Trapinch?" The green-haired girl called out, sending out her next Pokémon as the antlion stood its ground against its powerful foe. Like before, the Diglett opted to go for the first move, circling the Trapinch as it breathed another chilling gust of wing from its mouth, freezing its foes legs in place. However, the latter wasn't phased by this drop in mobility and slammed its large head down onto the mole, causing it to stagger in place momentarily and enabled the Trapinch to clamp down hard on it with its impressive jaws. This had caused the Diglett to panic, causing it to shake on the spot as it mustered up all its energy to spew a much harsher gust of wind from its mouth, the attack strong enough to send both combatants flying back as they fell before their trainers feet, unable to continue battling.

"Seems that Natasha has a thing for drawing with her opponent if her battles are to be taken at face value. But what will she send out next? There's only one way to find out!" The teacher called out to the crowd, generating sufficient hype for the last battle as Nora opted to go for her ace Pokémon.

"It was a great battle, but I'm afraid that this is where it ends in your defeat. Take flight, Zubat!" Nora called out, throwing her ball onto the ground as the small bat began flapping its wings fervently. Natasha calmly gazed at the bat before selecting her next Pokéball, throwing it to the ground as her Bulbasaur emerged from its ball and calmly gazed at the Zubat.

Within an instant, it projected hypnotic waves from its eyes in an attempt to lull the Zubat to sleep, however the bat countered by emitting a supersonic cry from its mouth, dispelling the hypnotic rays. The Zubat then followed up by swooping down onto the Bulbasaur and struck it with its wings, causing the quadrupedal Pokémon to stagger back a few feet. However, it was soon able to recover and fire a barrage of seeds onto the bat, the seeds breaking open and ensnaring the Zubat with their vines as they began draining it of its energy. The Bulbasaur then followed up by using its mental power to hold its foe in place, lifting it up in the air slightly before slamming it down onto the ground. Once the dust died down, it showed that the Zubat was unable to continue battling.

"Alright, way to go Bulba—huh?" Natasha began, only to get caught off-guard as she saw that her Bulbasaur was glowing a bright light, its body growing larger as the crowd were watching in awe. Once the light died down, it was revealed that it had evolved into Delta Ivysaur. Its body was larger but still retained its pink hue, it had dark blue leaves growing from the bulb on its back, and the bulb itself took on a more crystalline appearance. "Y-You evolved Ivysaur, I'm so proud of you!"

"Ivy!" The newly evolved Pokémon chimed with joy, with Nora recalling her Zubat as a pleased look appeared on her face, as if her question was answered.

"Looks like I got what I came here for…" She mused to herself, the teacher promptly approaching the duo.

"That was a fantastic battle, you two; one of the best in Midna School history! You've more than earned this prize, Natasha!" She praised the purple-haired girl, handing her what appeared to be a thick white disk. "This is the TM for Return; a move that grows stronger the more the user likes you. It's arguably one of the best Normal type moves out there, so I expect it to get plenty of use. Don't worry about it breaking; TM's are a multi-use item."

"Thank you very much! I'll make sure to put it to great use." Natasha replied, recalling her Ivysaur and put the TM away in her bag.

"I must say that the battle between you and Nora was once of the best I've ever seen, and I'm not joking about that!" The teacher told them, the rest of the students dispersing as Damian approached the trio.

"I agree, that was a pretty intense battle. But the one between me and Natasha was just as good, right?" He asked her enthusiastically.

"Eh, it really wasn't that great. I was merely hyping you up for the sake of the crowd." She knocked him back bluntly.

"O-Oh, ok…" Damian replied quietly, a little upset over her response.

"Hey, there's no need to be that harsh to him." Natasha called her out.

"I was merely telling him the truth; if he can't handle it, then he has no business being a trainer." The teacher replied, promptly returning to her duties as the purple-haired girl consoled her friend.

"Don't worry, I enjoyed the battle between us." She reassured him. "If you want, I'll let you borrow my TM."

"Thanks…" The white-haired boy thanked her as Nora approached the duo.

"May I offer you a suggestion on how to get stronger? Taking on the Torren League challenge; the first gym leader lives in Suntouched City which is on the other side of Cyan Cavern. The leader there is a young boy named Orion, and his team revolves around the sun, hence you might want to prepare in advance for the battle." She recommended to them, a thoughtful expression appearing on Damian's face.

"Sounds like a plan; I'll race you two there!" He chimed in eagerly, quickly running out the school with Nora watching him go.

"He's quite the enthusiastic young man, isn't he?" She commented to Natasha.

"Yeah, but that makes him so endearing. Why don't we take things a little slower and explore the route for a while? I'm sure we can find something nice to capture." Natasha proposed.

"I'd like that, thank you very much. Gives me the chance to ask you a question that's been on my mind for a while." Nora agreed, the duo promptly exiting the school and began their journey to Suntouched City.

**Ancient Ruins**

Having explored Route 2 but finding nothing of interest, the duo promptly took the time to check out the Ancient Ruins to the north of the route, the ancient structure standing firm and tall as various statues depicting various legendary Pokémon lined up alongside the path. "So, Nora, what is it you wanted to ask me?" The purple-haired girl inquired, enjoying the time she was spending with the green-haired girl.

"I saw how well you trained your Delta Pokémon, and it got me thinking; do you by any chance have the Delta Call?" She inquired.

"Delta Call? I'm sorry to say that I haven't heard about it." Natasha replied.

"Remember that prophecy that I told you about back in Midna Mine, about how a hero who befriended a mythical Pokémon would save the region from the cults? Supposedly it also mentioned someone blessed with a gift to soothe the weary souls of the Delta Species, a variety of Pokémon who are of a different type due to a genetic mutation. They say the Delta Species migrated to what is now known as the Holon region to keep themselves safe from their judgmental kin and have lived there for hundreds of years. The prophecy states that a person with the Delta Call is incredibly knowledgeable on the subject of Delta Pokémon and is able to befriend them very easily." Nora explained, as the purple-haired girl pondered to herself. Given her experiences, it seems that she does indeed have this Delta Call, but if that was the case, then why did that cult from before want it erased from her mind, as opposed to harnessing its power?

"Based on what you've told me, and my previous experiences, it appears that I do possess this Delta Call. But why was it gifted to me in the—" Natasha began, only for the duo to get caught off-guard by the rustling of grass beside them. Turning around, they saw what appeared to be a Delta Geodude, its face a black pit with a glowing yellow eye in the center. Its rocky body was covered in runic inscriptions and had some moss growing on it arms and was floating above the ground courtesy of the big blue crystal on the bottom of its body. The Geodude casually floated towards the duo, with Natasha getting onto one knee and extended her arm, with the Delta Pokémon floating towards her as she scooped it up into her arms.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure you aren't lonely ever again." She reassured it, slowly petting its head as it let out what sounded like a low moan of content. "I guess that answers your inquiry."

"It does indee—" Nora began, only for a cry of fear to echo out from the large structure, putting the duo on high alert. "Someone's in trouble! Quick, we need to save them!"

"Got it!" Natasha replied, holding onto her new companion firmly as the duo promptly ran towards the desolate ruins.

**I figured I'd end things on a bit of a cliffhanger for the sake of building up tension. I hope my explanation on the whole 'Delta Whisper' deal was satisfactory. Thank you all for reading and supporting my story, I'll see you in the next chapter.**

**Acquired Delta Pokémon:**

**D. Ivysaur**

**D. Charmander**

**D. Squirtle **

**D. Diglett**

**D. Dwebble (Cake) **

**D. Geodude**


	5. Chapter 5

**When we last left off, Natasha won the Midna School tournament with style and grace. Additionally, she met the lovely young Nora and quickly befriended her, though there may be more to this relationship than she first expected. Now the duo is off to investigate a cry for help coming from the Ancient Ruins.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon Insurgence; it is the property of its creators.**

Upon entering the Ancient Ruins, Nora and Natasha found the source of the cries; standing in a corner surrounded by strange people was a Riolu, the small Pokémon frightened for its life. The people edged closer and closer to it, hoping to capture it for whatever nefarious purpose they may have in mind.

"I-I've seen these people before; they planned to assassinate the Augur back in Telnor Town. But why would the Abyssal Cult want their hands on Riolu?" Natasha spoke softly to Nora.

"I don't know either, but we won't let them take it by force!" The green-haired girl stated, the duo confronting the cultists as the trio turned to face them. "Hey, you leave that Riolu alone, you brutes!"

"Tch, just what we needed; a pair of meddlesome brats getting in out way." The Abyssal cultist in charge of this mini operation hissed to herself. "Listen kids, this is adult business only. Get out of here unless you want to be shipped home in a wooden box!"

"Like I'm afraid of some cowardly cultist who gets a thrill out of scaring small Pokémon. You are no match for us whatsoever!" Natasha declared boldly, her Geodude hopping out of her arms and growled lowly at the cultists.

"So you wanna act tough? Then we'll give you a sound thrashing and take all your Pokémon for ourselves. Cultists, ready yourself for battle!" The head cultist declared, her two flunkies approaching the duo and got out their Pokéballs, throwing them to the ground and sent out a Horsea and Skrelp respectively. Nora quickly selected one of her own Pokéballs, throwing it to the ground and sent out her Sewaddle to assist her friend.

Soon afterwards, the Horsea and the Skrelp stood firmly on their tails and shot a blast of water from their mouths, hoping to wash the opponents aside. However, the Geodude had expected this outcome and used its mind to form a wondrous barrier of light to shield itself and the Sewaddle from the attack, the water trickling down the barrier and onto the rocky floor beneath their feet. With the attack dealt with, the Sewaddle conjured up a bunch of sharp leaves and hurled them towards the Horsea, the attack striking the seahorse head on as it was sent flying back into a stone pillar and crashed into it, promptly sliding down to the ground. While this was happening, the Geodude was gathering mental energy in its head while pressing its hands against the rocky ground, using it as a launchpad of sorts to hurl itself at the Skrelp. The attack struck it head on, sending the sea-dragon flying towards its fallen comrade and crashed into it, kicking up a small amount of dust into the air.

"Wow…you only got that Delta Geodude recently, and you formed a bond with it already." Nora commented in awe over Natasha's special gift.

"We can delve further into it later, we've got some cultists to defeat." The purple-haired girl replied, watching the Abyssal Cultists recall their fainted Pokémon.

"What are you two louts doing?! I need you to distract them while I capture the Riolu!" The head cultist shouted in anger, causing the duo before her to gulp in fear.

"Y-Yes ma'am…" A cultist replied, quickly sending out his Corphish as his ally sent out a Seel in response. Hoping to regain the initiative, the Corphish lunged at the Sewaddle, hoping to crush it with its claws, only for the Geodude to block the incoming attack, its arms shielding its body from the attack. Letting out a small huff of annoyance, the Corphish mustered up all its strength to lift the Geodude up in the air and throw it aside, with the Seel following up with a sizable blast of water from its mouth, sending the Geodude flying into a set of clay pots as Natasha quickly ran over to check up on her ally, who was knocked out from the consecutive attacks.

"Don't worry…I'll make sure those brutes don't hurt you any further…" She cooed at the injured Geodude, recalling it to its ball as she promptly made her decision. With a quick flick of her wrist, she threw her next ball and sent out her Squirtle, the small turtle eager to crush its foes. Glaring at the Seel, it promptly began spinning its arms in the air, generating a small blue wind around itself, crossing its arms before opening them as the wind formed a shockwave that flew towards the Seel at rapid speeds, the powerful Vacuum Wave sending it flying across the ruins. Meanwhile, the Sewaddle was nimbly dodging the Corphish's attacks, bobbing and weaving underneath the attacks before headbutting it, sending the small lobster flying through the air before following up with a second Razor Leaf, striking the Corphish head on as it soon began plummeting towards the ground. It crashed into another stack of clay pots, shattering them into thousands of tiny pieces as it staggered from beneath the debris before promptly collapsing onto the ground.

"Alright, we did it!" Nora cheered, her Sewaddle jumping for joy as the Squirtle sighed in relief.

"Pathetic…you had some of the best Pokémon in the Abyssal Cult, yet you lost to a pair of kids?!" The head cultist scolded her subordinates.

"Lady, if that was the extent of your cult's power, then it's a complete mystery as to how you're still standing. You're a complete joke; just leave the Riolu alone and go home to save yourself any further humiliation." Natasha mocked the cultist, causing her to growl in anger at her.

"I'll teach you to mouth off like that! First I'll catch this Riolu, then I'll break your—" She began, only for a low growl to emanate from the back room of the ruins, behind a sizable ledge. Emerging from the room was a Lucario, standing tall and proud as it glared at the Abyssal Cultist.

"At last…you're here." The cultist smirked uneasily, trying to maintain her composure. "Quickly, we need to catch it; you both know what we want this Pokémon!"

Nodding in confirmation, the two Abyssal Cultists joined their leader's side, only for the Lucario to begin glowing in a variety of colors, it's body encased by the aura as it soon broke out from the orb, revealing it in its Mega Form. Growling lowly at the cultists, it approached them slowly, causing the trio to gulp in fear before quickly fleeing the ruins. The Riolu ran up to it and nuzzled the Lucario affectionately, the duo quickly making their way to the back room of the ruins, but not before shooting a quick look of gratitude at the duo.

"Well that was a sight to behold. Now to—huh?" The purple-haired girl began, only to see that her Squirtle began glowing a bright white, its body rapidly changing as it was going through the process of evolution. Soon, the light died down, revealing that it had evolved into Delta Wartortle. Its body was now larger than before, it's tail having split into two in order to better conceal its shell from plain view. The small cloths on its arms had become fingerless gloves, and it now sported a red belt around its waist. "Wow, you evolved Wartortle! Well done!"

"Tortle!" The Wartortle chirped proudly, resting its hands on its hips.

"Truth be told, I was hoping to find some connection to the prophecy in these ruins. But it seems like these aren't the ruins I'm looking for…" Nora commented, briefly glancing side-to-side. "Still, what were the Abyssal Cult doing here? From what I know of them, they're a lot like the notorious Team Aqua from the Hoenn region, so why would they go to a place that has nothing to do with Kyogre."

"Perhaps the prospect of a Mega-Lucario was too much to pass up on. Or they didn't want any of the other cults getting their hands on it first." Natasha deduced.

"Makes sense when you think about it…" The green-haired girl replied, turning her head to the side. "Mega Evolution, huh? I know that it enables a Pokémon to take on a form that is much stronger than before. But it requires a close bond between said Pokémon and its trainer to occur; how was that Lucario able to Mega-Evolve without a trainer nearby?"

"I'm not so sure myself, perhaps something in the next town might give us a clue to this phenomenon." The purple-haired girl suggested. "I must say Nora, that was some really impressive battling back there. You're the perfect combination of strong and cute!"

"O-Ohh…thanks." Nora replied quietly, a fierce blush forming on her soft face. "A-Anyway, we should make our way to Suntouched City; it's a short distance from these ruins."

Agreeing to the plan, the duo quickly recalled their Pokémon before making their way out of the ruins and to their next destination, a few questions floating in Natasha's mind. What is the end game of the Abyssal Cult? How could a wild Lucario Mega-Evolve without a trainer nearby? How on Earth did she come to possess the Delta Call, and why is everyone so interested in it?

**Suntouched City**

After spending the last fifteen minutes traversing through the Cyan Cavern, the duo finally arrived at the lustrous Suntouched City, a place far larger than they had expected. And though Cyan Cavern was a most beautiful place, full of deep blue stones and pools of clear water, there was nothing of much interest within its cool interior. The bustling city before them however, was a sight to behold; there were dozens upon dozens of buildings neatly arranged into small block, and there were lots of support pillars keeping up what looked like another portion of the city.

"Woah…what's with those blocks of land above our heads?" Natasha inquired in awe.

"Don't you know, it's the main appeal of Suntouched City. There's a second level to the city that's way up in the sky, hence the name Suntouched City. Don't worry though, it's not dangerous at all to travel from level to level, you just make your way to the respective elevator and take a ride." Nora explained to her friend.

"If you say it's safe, then I trust you. but where do I even begin expl—oh, what's this now?" The purple-haired girl began, getting caught off-guard by a massive gold statue of Jaern standing proudly atop a cliff, the plaque underneath reading _'Jaern, the Second Augur. May his hits be critical, and his Focus Blasts never miss.'_ "Well…someone loves himself a lot."

"How typical of him; making himself out to be a lot greater than he really is…" The green-haired girl muttered to herself, not wanting anyone else to hear it. "Anyway, I plan on getting in some training before taking on the gym, I suggest you do as well once you're done exploring the city."

"Sounds like a plan; the next time we meet, I'll have a nice shiny badge to show you!" Natasha promised, the duo shaking each other's hands firmly before going their separate ways. The first thing on Natasha's list was to go to the Pokémon Center and give her friends some much needed rest, the purple-haired girl entering the building and putting her balls into the small machine before taking a small pamphlet about the city and began reading it. It went on and on about the city's main attractions, but a few of them really caught her attention; firstly, the Suntouched City Gym. It went in detail about how the young leader, Orion is skilled in using Fire and Grass type Pokémon, hence why he built his team around the use of Sunny Day. This meant that Natasha couldn't waltz up there with a Water Pokémon and expect to sweep the entire battle, she would have to find a way to deal with the sun as soon as possible.

Additionally, there was a broadcast tower that was looking to recruit promising trainers to participate in a new show about rare Pokémon and where to find them. The disclaimer about a generous reward being offered was nice, but these potential hunts could lead to her finding some more Delta Pokémon, which is always a good thing for her. Just then a light _'ding'_ emanated from the machine, indicating that her Pokémon were fully healed. Putting the pamphlet back, she took her Pokéballs and thanked the nearby nurse before making her way out of the building and towards the broadcast tower, which was nestled on the second level.

"Can somebody help me? Please, it's an urgent matter!" A cry for help echoed out near the area, the purple-haired girl running to the source and saw a middle-aged man pacing near the elevators to the next level. "Ah, th-thank goodness you came! I don't know what I would've done if nobody came…"

"Calm down sir, what's troubling you today?" Natasha inquired with the man taking in a couple deep breaths.

"It's my field miss; something's been eating at the produce and their flowers, and I have no idea how to chase them away. The people of this city rely on my field for food, and I don't want to disappoint them; please, help me chase away the thief from this city." He explained his troubles to her, a small smile forming on her face.

"Don't worry, I'll help you out." Natasha promised, the man thanking her profusely before offering to show her where the field was. Going up the elevator, the purple-haired girl let out a cry of surprise over how quickly it shot up from the ground, only to reach a grinding halt ten seconds later as it arrived at the top. Stepping off the small plate, the teen was at awe over how high she was, the bright white clouds floating carelessly beside the landmasses. However, she soon remembered her mission and followed the man south of the area, to a large piece of land that had several produce fields on it, a large tower standing firmly over the fields as the duo made their way to a filed full of fruit and flowers. "I thought you only had one field…"

"Oh, I do. The others belong to the other farmers in this city; it was awfully generous of the people in charge of the broadcast tower to loan us their spare land for farming—aha, there's the thief in action!" The farmer began, pointing to a rustling flower that was slowly getting eaten by some unseen force, a sudden realization forming in Natasha's mind. Quietly approaching the flower, she promptly clapped the air before it, a cry of surprise coming from atop it as the culprit fell of the flower and onto the soft dirt below. The culprit was an Aipom with a body covered in pitch-black fur, bright white eyes that stared deeply into the girl's soul, and a small nick in its left ear. The most notable feature was its tail, that was a ghostly white and had the power to disappear for a short amount of time.

The Aipom got back up on its feet and eyed up the girl curiously, as she got on one knee and brought out something from her bag. "You know you can't eat those plants; those belong to the people of Suntouched City. Why don't I give you this instead?" The purple-haired girl offered a jar of Honey to the small monkey, who began sniffing it curiously before snatching it from her hands and began eating it gluttonously. Within a few minutes, it had finished its feast, wiping its mouth and hand on a small pile of leaves beside the field, chirping happily at Natasha before leaping up into her hands.

"Whew…take about impressive. You knew how to handle that critter without breaking a sweat!" The farmer whistled a compliment at the teenage girl.

"Thanks." Natasha smiled back at him, eyeing off the broadcasting tower behind them. "Anyway, I have some business in the tower to attend to. don't worry, I'll make sure this cheeky little rascal doesn't cause you any more trouble." She ruffled the Aipom's head affectionately, making her way towards the tower before entering it. Upon entering the main lobby, she recalled the Aipom into an empty ball before pocketing it and made her way to the front desk.

"Welcome to the Suntouched City Broadcast Tower, how can I help you today?" The receptionist asked in a cheery manner.

"I read somewhere that you're looking for a trainer to participate in a new show about finding rare Pokémon. I'd like to apply for the job, please." The purple-haired girl requested.

"No problem! Come this way." The receptionist replied, gesturing the teenage girl to follow her upstairs. After a brisk walk to the Director's office, they knocked on the wooden door and were gestured to step inside. Upon doing so, the receptionist gave the Director a quick bow in respect before making her way back to the front desk, the tall, white haired man gesturing the teen to take a seat.

"Ah…you must be an aspiring star. Tell me young lady, what's your name?" The older man inquired.

"N-Natasha, sir." She introduced herself.

"Well Natasha, it's a good thing you came here on time because a lot of aspiring trainers have snapped up our offer. We already had another trainer take up the pilot episode, as well as a few other trainers snapping up some other episodes, but we've got a special one for you. It's a two-for-one special about Delta Pokémon lurking in an isolated section of the Rezzai Desert, and the ruins within that area. If you manage to snag them both up, we'll be sure to reward you handsomely. What do you say?" The Director offered.

"Sounds like a plan! I know a thing or two about Delta Pokémon, so I can provide some tips for the audience as well." Natasha chimed in, the old man's eyes sparkling as if he had stumbled upon a goldmine.

"Terrific! We'll send you to the location via chopper this instant; time is money as they say!" The Director called out, eagerly shooing the young teen out of the office as he began plans on writing up the episode.

**0000**

The helicopter trip to the Rezzai Desert took a little longer than expected, but they eventually found the place. Resting atop a high ledge was a small plot of desert with a small pyramid in the center of the area, the helicopter slowly descending onto the ground as the engine began to slow down. Soon enough, Natasha and the filming crew hopped off the chopper and began setting themselves up.

"According to our intel, the Delta Species roaming these sands is a Grimer, though what type specifically is unknown. As for the Delta in the ruins, we know even less about that one, so that'll be a nice mystery for the audience." The cameraman informed Natasha, giving her the greenlight as he began filming her.

"Welcome everyone to the latest episode of Pokémon Hunt, the show that goes into detail over the rare Pokémon one might encounter in the wild. Today's episode is a two-for-one special featuring Delta Pokémon, the mysterious denizens of the Holon region that found their way here. For those of you unaware on what Delta Pokémon are, they're essentially your average Pokémon, but they have a different type than their kin; for instance, a Psychic/Rock type Geodude. Anyway, we've heard reports of a Delta Grimer lurking within this desert and—" Natasha began, before a low cry echoed throughout the area. Now on full alert, she gestured the cameraman to follow for a moment, before stopping at a most fascinating site. Standing by itself in a patch of sand was the Delta Grimer, it's body consisting entirely of sand instead of sludge. It was picking up the skeletal remains of some deceased Pokémon, breaking them open in its maw to suck out the bone marrow before crunching on the drained bones. After having its fill, it soon caught wind of the humans nearby and turned to the source, letting out another low cry.

"Take caution when approaching a Delta Grimer; they can quickly retract into the surrounding sand to escape an imminent threat. What I plan to do is show that I mean no harm before convincing it to tag along with me." Natasha smiled to the camera, crouching on one knee and outstretched her hand which was full of various candies. "Don't worry, I mean you no harm."

The Grimer eyed her up wearily, making its way towards her slowly before sniffing the candy in her hand. With a quick flick of its wrist, it snatched up the candy and gobbled it up quickly, the Ground type Pokémon letting out a quick cry of joy before moving closer to Natasha.

"Do you want to come with me?" She offered, the Grimer nodding its head fervently as the teenage girl brought out and empty Pokéball, the Grimer tapping the button as it promptly entered the ball. "And that's how you befriend a Delta Grimer, everyone! Now then, onto our next Pokémon!"

The teenage girl made her way into the pyramid within the desert, the blistering heat soon replaced with a nice, refreshing coolness. A few lit torches were lined up against the walls, but aside from them, there was very little light inside this dark ruin. A few minutes into their exploration, the group was caught off-guard by a ghostly moan, the cameraman gulping in fear as Natasha hushed him.

"Don't panic, it's just a Delta Solosis; they have a very distinctive moan. Hopefully I can imitate it well enough to attract it to our location." The purple-haired girl began, cupping her hands over her mouth and imitate the moan, though the pitch wasn't as low as the moan. However, it seemed to work as a floating specter approached the group and eyed them up curiously. The Delta Solosis took on the form of a small grey rock with a trio of holes representing its eyes and mouth. It's body was surrounded by a shadowy aura, the small Pokémon floating on the spot as it continued to gaze at the humans before it. "As Delta Solosis is a Ghost/Rock type Pokémon it won't be easily swayed by the food I have. However, I do have a small brown stone that it may like…"

Upon saying those words, Natasha brought out a small brown pebble and showed it to the camera before offering it to the Solosis, who floated down to her hand to inspect it. it eyed up the stone happily, using its power to lift up the stone and attack it to a small nick above its left eye before nuzzling up to the purple-haired girl affectionately. Knowing that it wanted to tag along with her, she brought out another empty Pokéball and allowed the Solosis to tap on the button, quickly entering the ball as the purple-haired girl managed to snag another Delta Pokémon.

"And that is it for this week's episode of Pokémon Hunt! Be sure to tune in next time for another thrilling adventure!" Natasha concluded the episode, flashing a smile as the Director ordered the cameraman to cut.

"Well done, Natasha. This will be one episode that the audience won't forget anytime soon! Now then, let's head back to base so we can discuss your payment." He told her, the group quickly making their way out of the pyramid as Natasha began planning out her next training session. She would need to quickly gage the strengths and weaknesses of her newest friends if she wanted a chance to defeat Orion.

**Another nice chapter done and dusted, and Natasha has some new friends to play with. Good thing too, since she'll be going up against the Suntouched Gym, which'll be the first major obstacle in her journey through Torren. I'll catch you all in the next chapter.**

**Acquired Delta Pokémon:**

**D. Ivysaur**

**D. Charmander**

**D. Wartotle**

**D. Diglett**

**D. Dwebble (Cake) **

**D. Geodude**

**D. Aipom**

**D. Grimer**

**D. Solosis**


	6. Chapter 6

**Welcome back everyone, in this chapter Natasha will be going up against Orion in the hopes of winning the Thermal Badge from him. Will she be able to secure a victory? You'll have to read on to find out the answer.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon Insurgence; it is the property of its creators.**

Natasha entered the Suntouched City Gym, wiping a thin layer of sweat off her forehead as she thought to herself over the situation before her. Having received her paycheck from the Director of the Broadcast Tower for her services, she spent the next two hours training all her Pokémon for the upcoming gym, using some of her money to heal them up once the session had ended. And thought it proved to be fruitful as some of her Pokémon evolved, the purple-haired girl couldn't help but worry about the challenge before her. She knew that Orion would be no walk in the park, but whether it'll be a somewhat tricky ride, or a relentless barrage of pain was unknown to her. Taking in a deep breath, she made her way through the gym and into the back room where she saw a young boy with spiky red hair and matching color eyes. His outfit consisted of an orange and white long-sleeve shirt, a pair of red shorts that reached his knees, and a pair of green sandshoes.

"Hey there, you must be a challenger? I'm Orion, pleased to meet you!" The young boy smiled, shaking hands with his elder.

"Pleased to meet you, the name's Natasha. As you may have guessed, I am challenging you for the Thermal Badge. Are there any special rules I need to know before hand?" She inquired.

"Just a couple; neither trainer can switch out battle-capable Pokémon, unless they use a move like U-Turn and Baton Pass. Additionally, neither trainer can use items on their Pokémon, except for any items the Pokémon themselves are holding. Furthermore, this will be a 5-on-5 battle, so I'll need to check how many Pokémon you have on you." Orion began, with Natasha taking out her Pokedex as the young boy scanned it with a special device all Gym Leaders are given. A quiet _'ding'_ rang out from the machine as a satisfied smile appeared on his face. "Good…seems that you have enough Pokémon to partake in the battle."

"That's good to hear; just don't get mad when I defeat you!" Natasha poked her tongue out playfully at the gym leader.

"You won't be saying that once you realize the sun's true power before your very eyes!" He smirked back, crouching beside the white rock beside his feet. "Wish me luck. With you by my side, I'm sure to win!"

"Ah, I take it the rock's your friend?" The purple-haired girl inquired.

"Yeah, it gets lonely being a Gym Leader, so I speak to my friend from time to time. Everyone in the city mocks me for it, but I know it's alive." Orion answered her inquiry, the duo making it to the arena. "Ah, but that's for another time. Right now, we've got a battle to get started! Vulpix, time to light 'em up!"

"Graveler, let's get ready to rock!" Natasha called out, the duo sending out their Pokémon as Orion gazed at the Graveler in awe. The Delta Graveler as a lot different from its pre-evolution, with its body now a dark grey and its four arms coated in the same moss that covered the top of its head. The large crystal at the bottom still shone a brilliant blue as its lone eye locked onto the enemy Vulpix, who let out a yawn as the sun in the room shone more intensely than it did before.

"Wow, that Graveler looks amazing! Is it one of those Delta Species I've heard rumors about?" The young boy inquired, a look of awe in his eyes.

"Yep, and it's more than ready to dish you out a defeat. Rock Tomb!" She replied, her Graveler using its psychic power to form a rock and hover it in the air, before crushing it into pieces and hurled the shards at the Vulpix, ensnaring the fox Pokémon in a makeshift prison as a small cloud of dust was kicked up into the air. However, the Vulpix wasn't out just yet, leaping up from within the tomb and fired an Energy Ball at the Graveler, the attack hurling towards the Golem Pokémon as the collision caused a sizable blanket of smoke. Orion smirked at his victory, only for said smirk to drop as he saw the Graveler holding the ball of energy in its hands as its body glowed a vivid green, absorbing the attack before flexing its arms as a new power coursed through its body.

'_N-No way! That attack should have defeated it; that must mean it has Sap Sipper…'_ Orion thought to himself, surprised at the sight before him. To see a Pokémon that's immune to a type their species is notoriously weak against is proof that Delta Species are not to be underestimated. The Graveler curled up its body into a ball and rolled towards the Vulpix, the fox Pokémon unable to dodge in time as it was sent flying towards the back wall, with Orion running towards his injured companion to check up on it. "A-Are you alright?!"

"Vul…" The Vulpix nodded weakly, the young boy petting his head before recalling it as it couldn't continue battling.

"Sorry about that, we may have gone a bit overboard…" Natasha apologized, with her Graveler uttering what sounded like an apology in its native tongue.

"Don't worry, I now know not to underestimate you!" Orion brushed it off, only for the young boy to think to himself. Just what Pokémon did he have that could stand a chance against that Graveler? His mind then flashed to how it levitated those rocks to attack Vulpix before, a clever idea forming in his mind. "Larvesta, strike them hard with X-Scissor!"

The ball popped open, with the small larvae hopping out as it quickly snacked on the Charti Berry it held, granting it an increased resistance to Rock type attacks for the battle. After its impromptu meal, it lunged directly at the Graveler, its horns glowing a bright green as it slashed at the Golem, causing it to let out a low moan of pain as it fell to the ground. Natasha was taken aback by how quickly he was able to figure out a way to deal damage to her Graveler, however she wasn't out of tricks yet.

"Not bad…but will your Larvesta survive this?" She retorted, her Graveler going into a ball once more and rolled towards the small larvae, its horns glowing a vivid green as it clashed with its foe for a few seconds. The Graveler was able to overpower it and push it aside, with Larvesta leaping into the air and used Flamethrower on it, setting its foe alight as it spun around and tackled the small larvae, sending it flying into a small flower bed, catching the young boy off-guard as he saw his second Pokémon get knocked out.

"Ay, ay, ay…I thought I had you there." Orion commented, recalling his Pokémon before opting for a daring play. "Fletchinder, take to the skies and use Steel Wing!"

The medium-sized bird emerged from its ball and quickly flew into the air before shooting a steely gaze at the Graveler, its wings shining a lustrous silver as it swooped down and struck its foe, sending the Graveler flying back a few feet. It flew back around hoping to strike it again, only for the Golem Pokémon to grab it by its legs as the duo were soon flying in the air. The Fletchinder began shaking its body in the hopes of escaping the Graveler's grasp, only for its eyes to widen in surprise as it saw its foe's body glowing a bright white, a massive explosion soon engulfing the arena as the entire area was soon filled up with smoke. Once it died down, it showed that both combatants were knocked out from the resulting explosion, the two trainers running up to check on their companions.

"Thank goodness you're ok!" Natasha spoke to her injured Graveler, taking out its Pokéball. You've earnt yourself a nice rest."

"Phew, that Graveler of yours was a most excellent opponent. But with it out of the way, my Ivysaur can deal with the rest of your team!" Orion called out, recalling his Fletchinder as he sent out his next Pokémon.

"Your Ivysaur is no match for my Delta Dugtrio!" The purple-haired girl retorted, sending out her next Pokémon as it's three fuzzy heads turned to face the Ivysaur. As the sun was still up, the Ivysaur was able to quickly charge up its Solar Beam, it's bulb collecting a massive amount of light as it fired the powerful attack from its mouth. Luckily the Dugtrio was able to burrow underground in time and began tunneling towards the Ivysaur, why eyed up the ground before it wearily. But before it could get a chance to move, it was sent flying into the air as the Dugtrio surface from underneath and blew a vicious gust of cold wind from its mouths, striking the Ivysaur head on as it was sent hurtling towards the ground, its leafy body frozen from the chilling attack. Orion made his way to his friend and tapped lightly on the ice to see if it would break, but not even a small crack showed up.

"Uhh…is it alright if I recall my friend? I don't think they're in any condition to continue battling after an attack like that." He asked Natasha.

"No problem. Just send out your last Pokémon and we can continue this battle." She smiled back at him, the young boy nodding gratefully as he recalled his Ivysaur and promptly sent out his Charmeleon. The purple-haired girl was taken aback by her new adversary, the Charmeleon taking in a deep breath before spewing a stream of flames that struck the Dugtrio head on, sending them skidding back into the dirt before crashing into a flower pot, the Delta Species unable to continue battling. "Bu-Bu-Bu…"

"That's the power of the sun, miss. It makes Fire attacks hit that much harder!" Orion chuckled, a wave of confidence coursing through his body, with Natasha uttering an apology to her Dugtrio before recalling it.

"Well if that's how you want to play, then I'll send out my own Charmeleon!" She retorted, sending out her Delta Charmeleon as it let out a low growl at its opponent. The Charmeleon's skeletal body was a darker shade of grey than its pre-evolution, the ghostly flame on its tail burning bright than before. With a quick huff, it blew a series of spectral embers at the opposing Charmeleon, who blocked the attack with its hands before lunging at its Delta counterpart, raking its claws all over its bony body as the Delta Species swiped its tail back at it, sending the Charmeleon staggering back a few feet. Taking in a deep breath it opted to breath a second stream of fire at its foe, hoping to knock it out like it did with the Dugtrio. However, the Delta Charmeleon wasn't going to stand there and do nothing; it took in a deep breath and breathed a draconic stream of fire at its foe with the two attacks clashing in midair. For a few seconds, it seems that the duo was evenly matched, as the Charmeleon managed to gain an edge and began pushing its Delta counterpart back. However, it was then that the intensity of the morning sun died down, weakening its Flamethrower and enabled the Delta Charmeleon to regain the initiative, its draconic fire blasting its opponent and sent it flying to the ground. Once the smoke died down, it showed that Orion's Charmeleon was unable to continue battling, a surprised expression overcoming Natasha.

"We won…?" She asked herself, an overjoyed expression forming on her face as she jumped up and down on the stop. "We won! We won!"

"That loss was a little disappointing for me, but it was a very great battle! It taught me that there's more to the Delta Species than meets the eye. Perhaps if I find one that suits my team, I could try it out in the next battle." Orion commented, recalling his Pokémon before making his way to the purple-haired teen and handed her a red and yellow badge that was shaped like the sun. "Here, the Thermal Badge. You've earnt it."

"Thank you." She took the badge from him and showed it to Delta Charmeleon, who let out a low growl of satisfaction, the teenage girl petting its head briefly before recalling it to its ball. "So, Orion, where's the next gym in the Torren League?"

"In Vipik City I've met the leader, Xavier and he's a pretty chill dude. As for what theme his teams based on…I'll let you find out yourself, makes things more interesting." The young boy answered. "Anyway, I've got to get ready for my next challenger. Supposedly they're the best trainer from the Trainer's School in Midna, so I got to prepare my team carefully."

"In that case, I'll leave you to it. See ya!" Natasha waved at him, making her way out of the gym, only to get confronted by a young woman with short brown hair hastily making her way to the gym. The woman pushed Natasha out of the way, uttering an apology to her before entering the gym, leaving the purple-haired girl a little confused. "Huh…wonder what that was about…"

"I don't know, but from what I saw she was panicking over something." A familiar voice called out, with Natasha turning around and saw Nora approaching the scene. "Good to see you again Natasha, have you challenged Orion yet?"

"I have, and I defeated him, earning my first badge of the Torren League." She showed off the recently acquired Thermal Badge, which was placed nice and neatly on its slot in her Trainer's Card.

"Well done, Natasha! I knew you'd be able to secure a victory." The green-haired teen complimented her.

"Th-Thanks, ehehehehehe…" Natasha replied, a faint blush forming on her cheeks. "A-Anyway, should we see what that woman's up to?"

"Yeah, I was planning on checking it out anyway." Nora replied, the duo quietly entering the gym and made their way to the back room where Orion and the woman were having a somewhat heated conversation with each other. Upon taking a closer look, the purple-haired teen saw that the woman wore a brown-pleated skirt that reached just above her knees, topped off with white socks and a yellow short-sleeved blouse. Additionally, she wore a brown, wide-brimmed hat on her head that was decorated with a yellow ribbon.

"Harmony, what are you doing here?" Orion inquired, a look of curiosity on his face.

"W-We need to get out of here! I saw cultists entering the city and they were talking about you; I'm not sure what their plans are, but we need to get out while we still can." The now named Harmony urged him, a look of concern in her eyes.

"S-Seriously?!" The young boy double-checked, with his elder nodding in confirmation. "I-I see. In that case, can you help carry my friend?"

"You can't be serious; we don't have time for this again! There are cultists coming to attack you, and you're more concerned with your rock! It's not real; ditch the imaginary friend and let's get out of here!" She shot back at him, a little bewildered by his obsession with the rock.

"It's a little too late for you to escape, heheheheh…" An ominous voice called out, the group of four turning to the right and saw…the legendary Kyurem slowly descending from the sky onto the ground, as a tall man and a pair of scientists hopped off its back and approached the duo. The man had short blue hair that was done up into a bowl-cut, his outfit consisting of white lab coat, with a matching pair of pants that had small pockets on the front for his Pokéballs. Additionally, he wore a blue short-sleeved shirt and matching boots. "My apologies for the loud landing, legendary Pokémon are hard to control, you know. This beautiful creature's name is Kyurem, a very powerful Pokémon that can freeze fire and electricity with its breath." He replied in a nasally, somewhat high-pitched voice, something that suited his appearance frighteningly well.

"W-Who are you?!" Natasha demanded, the tall man chuckling at her.

"I was just about to get to that; the name's Taen and I work for the cult known as Perfection. We aren't as aggressive as those other inferior cults; we do our own thing for the most part. But that just means that we aren't to be taken lightly; we have our goals and will stop at nothing to achieve them, which brings us to today's topic…" The now-named Taen introduced himself, his gaze fixated on the white rock beside Orion as the young boy caught onto his desires.

"No way! I will not let you take my friend away!" He shot back, standing in front of the rock as the Perfection cultists eyed him up in confusion.

"…You're friends with the _rock_?" Taen asked in a deadpan manner. "Do you talk to it, too? Are you guys best friends forever? That's _sooooo_ cute!" He replied mockingly, snickering under his breath.

"Listen…Taen, was it? You're not acting very friendly here. Tell us what you want and leave, preferably now." Harmony called out to him.

"What we want, you ask? Well you know what we want…?" He replied, slowly approaching Orion and the white rock. "We want the kid's rock!"

"No way! I'd rather die than hand my friend over to yo—Ahh!" The young boy cried out, with Taen slapping him harshly as Orion fell to the ground, with Nora and Natasha quickly running to check up on him.

"Why don't you leave this conversation to the adults, you insolent child!" The tall man scoffed condescendingly at him.

"D-Did you just slap him?! What is wrong with you, you disgusting—" Harmony scolded the cultist, a look of disgust in her eyes as he simply shrugged at her in response.

"As I said, there's nothing we won't do for the sake of our goals." Taen casually replied, only for the white rock to begin trembling as he stepped back from it. "Ahhh…so you've decided to defend your "friend" from us. Just as I was expecting…"

"As you were expecting, what on earth are you talking about? Didn't you mock Orion for befriending the rock earlier?" Natasha called out, the teenage girl helping Orion back to his feet alongside Nora.

"Just because I mocked him, doesn't mean I don't know what it truly is." The blue-haired man retorted, the white stone glowing brightly as it's light soon enveloped the room. When the light soon died down, the purple-haired girl was taken aback by the sight before her. There, in all it's glory was the legendary Reshiram, slowly moving its arms up and down in a soothing manner.

"What is that…" Harmony inquired, a look of awe in her eyes.

"That is Reshiram…the being of Truth. Many years ago, Reshiram, Kyurem and Zekrom used to be a single entity. However, a war between two princes who fought for Truth and Ideals caused the Original Dragon to split into three separate entities. Reshiram was sealed in a rock known as the White Stone, which seems to have had fallen in Orion's care, somehow." Taen recalled the ancient tale to her, with Reshiram letting out a mighty roar before flying off into the horizon. "So you decided to flee from us…and to think today would've been boring. Quickly, do not let that Reshiram get away!"

Taen quickly made his way to his Kyurem as he and his sub-ordinates quickly hopped onto its back once more, the Kyurem letting out an imposing roar as it took to the skies and followed the Reshiram in hot pursuit.

"Orion…I'm so sorry. I didn't believe you, but you were telling the truth. And now you friend ran off." Harmony apologized to the young boy.

"No need to apologize, it was all just a simple misunderstanding." Orion replied, turning his head to face the other two. "Ah, I forgot to introduce you to each other. Harmony, this is Natasha and Nora; they're challengers in the Torren League. I already battled Natasha, but she defeated me easily."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Harmony. If my research is spot on, you're the Gym Leader of Sonata City." Nora greeted.

"That's right, lass. I'd tell you what types I specialize in, but that'll ruin the surprise, wouldn't it?" The older woman shot her a small smile. "I assume you're challenging Orion for a badge?"

"Yes, I am. I'm confident than I win my first badge!" The green-haired teen replied.

"I see. Anyway, can I trust you two to keep what happened here a secret? Orion could be in danger if word of this gets out." Harmony requested the duo.

"Don't worry, your secret is safe with us. Besides, Nora and I have a few secrets of our own." Natasha replied, only for a familiar roar to catch her off-guard. Turning to the side, she saw Reshiram make its way back to Orion, an overjoyed expression on Orion's face.

"Reshiram…you came back? Oh, thank you, thank you so much! It's so good to see that you are unharmed." He called out, the mighty dragon lowering its gaze and let out a soft coo.

"I guess Reshiram couldn't abandon its best friend. Even though it isn't as safe here, it only feels comfortable when it's with Orion." The older woman mused to herself, shooting the young boy a cautionary glance. "Orion, you have to be careful. None of the challengers coming into the Gym can see Reshiram; you never know who might spill the beans to that freaky blue-haired guy."

I'll be careful Harmony, I swear. Thanks for stopping by to help out." Orion thanked her for her time.

"No problem, I need to get back to my gym." Harmony made her way to the exit, but not before turning to face Nora and Natasha. "Whenever you two get the chance, I'll be more than happy to accept your challenge at my gym."

"We will!" Natasha called out, the older woman giving her a friendly nod before promptly exiting the gym.

"I knew you were alive all along, but I never dreamed that you were a legendary Pokémon…" The young boy spoke to his friend, before turning to face Nora. "When you're ready Nora, I'll accept your challenge. Don't worry, I'll play fair and refrain from using Reshiram in our battle."

"Just give me a moment, I've got to hand Natasha something." Nora called out, rummaging through her bag and handed a small cardboard box that had 'Instant Lapras' plastered on the front.

"Thank you…but what is it exactly?" The purple-haired girl inquired.

"It's an Instant Lapras; it enables one to cross bodies of water without teaching any of your Pokémon Surf. You'll need it to make your way through the Suntouched Exitway. Anyway, once I've finished my battle, I'll meet up with you in Metchi Town, which is on the other side of Route 3." The green-haired girl explained, with Natasha giving her a confirmatory nod before making her way out of the gym, her mind running abuzz once more. Taen stated that Perfection's main goal was to capture Reshiram, Zekrom and Kyurem so they can recreate the Original Dragon. But if that's the case, then why was Reukra experimenting with Delta Pokémon in the first place? Regardless, that was a question that can be answered later; there was more of Torren for her to explore after all.

**That was a nice gym battle we just saw, and there's an upcoming rival battle in the very next chapter. How will Natasha fare against Nora? You'll have to find out in the next chapter!**

**Acquired Delta Pokémon:**

**D. Ivysaur**

**D. Charmeleon**

**D. Wartotle**

**D. Dugtrio**

**D. Dwebble (Cake) **

**D. Graveler**

**D. Aipom**

**D. Grimer**

**D. Solosis**


	7. Chapter 7

**Welcome back to The Delta Whisperer, everyone! Not only will this chapter have an exciting rival battle but will also feature a few more captures. I hope you're all looking forward to it.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon Insurgence; it is the property of its creators.**

Following her quick journey through the very short Suntouched Exitway, Natasha took her first step onto Route 3 and gazed in awe at the sight. The route was full of lush trees lined up by the sides of the dirt path, with several small ponds of water strewn about the place. Dozens of bird Pokémon were chirping in the trees while the grass was teaming with wildlife, be it Grass, Bug or Normal type Pokémon. The purple-haired girl was a little surprised that such tranquility wasn't disturbed by the nearby city, though given it was surrounded by various mountain sides, that could be a sufficient explanation.

"Let's see if we can find ourselves something interesting to catch." She spoke to herself, making her way down the path as she scanned the sides for any unusual activity. At first, the journey wasn't very eventful, with nothing but the occasional battle between two trainers catching her attention. But it was the sound of tree bark getting stripped off that alerted the purple-haired girl, her head turned to the side and saw a mysterious Pokémon stripping the bark off a tall tree to snack on. The Pokémon was a Scyther, but its body was a icy blue instead of the light green they usually were, its scythes were curved like a hook instead of straight. There was no doubt about it; this was a Delta Scyther. Natasha took out an empty Pokéball, ready to catch it when it turned to face her, a determined look in the Ice Cleaver Pokemon's eye. If it was going to get caught, then it wanted the trainer to prove their worth to it first.

"Ah, I see how you want to play. I'll be happy to indulge you in your request!" Natasha told it, taking a second Pokéball and sent out her Delta Solosis, the ghost Pokémon letting out a low chime. Almost immediately, the small Pokémon emitted an ominous wind from its body with Scyther shielding its body with its scythes as the wind sent a shiver down its spine. Recovering quickly from the gust of wind, the Scyther conjures up a series of small shards of ice and flung them at the Solosis, the small Pokémon letting out a wince of pain as its body withstood the attack. Soon afterwards, the Solosis opted to retaliate by conjuring up a series of rock imbued with an ancient power, flinging them towards the Scyther as it was pushed back a few feet and landed on its back.

With a quick flick of her wrist, Natasha flung her empty Pokéball at the Scyther as it was soon captured by the device, the ball wiggling on the dirt for a few seconds before the light died down. A satisfied smile on her face, the purple-haired girl thanked her Solosis before recalling it, picking up her newly acquired Scyther and continued her journey down the small dirt path. Just a few minutes later, she wound up at the entrance to a small town, a sign to the side reading 'Metchi Town'. Figuring that it would be best to take a quick rest before continuing her journey to Vipik City, Natasha entered the town and made her way to the Pokémon Center, resting up her Pokémon as she began reading through any books she could find in case there was something interesting about this town. There were a few things that stood out to her; there was a Daycare Center to help trainers raise their weaker Pokemon, a secret base that one lucky trainer can buy, though for some reason no one has bought it yet, and the most interesting thing of the lot, an abandoned laboratory that can only be access by going upstream. The purple-haired girl knew what she was going to do next; check out this place to see if anything was left behind. Once her Pokémon were fully healed, Natasha took them back and made her way out of the building, approaching the river and began blowing up her inflatable Lapras. With the job done, she hopped onto it and began the steady swim upstream to where the laboratory sat, arriving at her destination a few minutes later.

As she had expected, the place was completely abandoned, with dirt and grime all over the building. The windows were broken with little glass pieces in front of them, and the door was slightly crooked; a strong kick should knock it off its hinges. Mustering up all of her strength, Natasha charged at the door and kicked it down, the door falling off it's hinges and fell on the floor with a loud _'bang', _the purple-haired girl entering the dilapidatedbuilding. The air inside was thick and humid, the girl covering her mouth with her cape as she traversed through the place, before stumbling upon what looked like a broken laptop. Taking a seat, she clicked away on the keys hoping to find something interesting, her eyes lighting up over seeing a file called 'D0001'. Moving the arrow towards it, she clicked on the file as the screen was soon filled up with what looked like a report detailing some sort of experiment that occurred over a year ago.

Supposedly, it details the very first attempt at creating an artificial Delta Pokémon, a Dark/Poison Larvesta to be specific. The experiment was apparently a success, despite the specimen being somewhat unstable; its potential strength being comparable to legendary Pokémon. It then went on to say that a second specimen, dubbed D0002, was created to be a more controllable test subject. However, D0001 had released a deadly toxin into the air, causing a temporary panic in the facility. Thankfully, nobody was affected by the toxin, however the head of this project, Reukra was forced to capture D0001 to prevent a similar incident like this from happening. The report concluded that due to the incident, the place would have to be abandoned to prevent the police from discovering what they had been doing there. The scientists had packed up all their necessary equipment and evacuated the place, leaving D0002 to die in the laboratory.

"Unbelievable…" Natasha said quietly to herself; this place was obviously the former hideout of the Perfection Cult, where they conducted unethical experiments for the sake of creating the perfect Pokémon. But the news about a second Larvesta wandering these halls was most fascinating, if it was still alive, she had to catch it. But the only problem was, where could it be? As she was about to begin racking her brain over the location, she accidentally bumped into the desk, causing a small notepad to fall onto the floor. Picking it up, she saw that it had 'Old Passwords' written on the front and decided to flick through it quickly.

'Old passwords include…

AntiPassOne: antihydrogen  
PassTwo: helium  
AntiPassThree: …'

"Guess this third one must be the current password; based on the pattern, I have a good idea on what it is, but I need to find the proper door first." She mused, tucking the notepad away as she thought to herself for a moment until it dawned on her. If Perfection was experimenting on a Delta Species that's a Poison type, then it would make sense to build a containment chamber somewhere in the facility. With a clear idea on what to look for, the purple-haired girl made her way through the abandoned halls, looking left and right for any signs of a containment chamber. Eventually, she found a bright blue door that had a password lock on the front, with the purple-haired girl taking out the notebook to re-read it before opting to type the password in. "If I'm right, then the password would be antilithium…"

Typing the password in, she soon pressed the enter key on the pad, a green light flaring up as the door slowly opened. Letting out a quick cheer, Natasha promptly tossed the notepad aside before making her way through the door and into the next room, only to be taken aback by the reality of it. It wasn't a containment room; it was the back garden of the facility, a sizable fence blocking the way here from the other side. How reckless must they be to have kept a potentially dangerous Pokémon outside like this? But that thought could be put aside as Natasha soon found what she was looking for; resting idly on a rock was the Delta Larvesta. Its body was a mixture of black and purple, its head only having two horns on top instead of the usual five. The small larvae eyed her up wearily, with the purple-haired girl crouching before it to attract its attention.

"Hey there…feeling a little lonely, are you?" She spoke softly to it, the Larvesta letting out what she could only describe as an angry chittering. This Pokémon held a lot of animosity towards its former owners for experimenting on it before leaving it to die, something which Natasha picked up on. "You must hate the Perfection Cult, do you? Why don't I help you get revenge on them? Together, I know that we can take them down!"

The Larvesta was initially skeptical about her claims at first, but upon realizing that this may very well be the last time anyone, or anything comes into contact with it, it gladly took her up on her offer. After all, a lifetime of loneliness in this abandoned lab would be hell on earth. Slowly crawling up her arm, the purple-haired girl picked it up before gently stroking its fur slowly, the small bug letting out a quiet coo as the duo began their trek away from the lab and back to civilization.

**0000**

The purple-haired girl made her way back to town via the river, hopping off her inflatable Lapras and put it away, only for a familiar voice to call out to her. "Hey, over here Natasha! It's me, Nora!" She called out to her friend, the latter soon making her way to her.

"Nora, it's so good to see you again! How did your gym battle go?" Natasha inquired.

"Very well; I managed to get my first gym badge!" The green-haired girl smiled, briefly glancing to a small house by her side. "This town is very dear to me; I used to live here with my two brothers in that very house. I caught up with them just a few minutes ago. But enough about me, what have you got up to in this place?"

"I checked out that abandoned laboratory upstream from here; turns out it was an abandoned hideout for the Perfection Cult. They left a Delta Larvesta behind, but I managed to rescue it from a lonely existence." The purple-haired girl answered, showing Nora her newly acquired Pokémon, the small larvae gazing at her wearily.

"How cute! Still, it does send shivers down my spine that a cult had a base so close to my childhood home." Nora began, an idea forming in her mind. "How about a quick 4-on-4 battle? We're in a fairly secluded area, so we don't have to worry about anyone catching me with Celebi."

"Sounds like a plan! I think I'll start off with my Larvesta…" Natasha began, with the Rage Pokémon crawling down her arm before hopping onto the soft ground beneath it.

"In that case, I'll start off with my Honedge!" The green-haired girl called out, sending out her first Pokémon as the sentient sword gazed calmly at its foe. Almost instantaneously, the Honedge lunged at the Larvesta with incredible speed, slashing at it as the larvae was sent skidding back a few feet. However, the Larvesta wasn't out for the count yet, cloaking it's body in a dark aura as it crept towards the Honedge before striking it from the shadows. The Honedge let out a cry of surprise as it was knocked down to the ground, with the Larvesta following up by spewing a corrosive acid that managed to deal impressive damage to the Sword Pokémon. The Honedge attempted to get back up off the ground, but soon collapsed as it could no longer continue battling.

"H-How? Aren't Steel-type Pokémon immune to Poison-type attacks?" The purple-haired girl inquired, with Nora recalling her Pokémon as a new strategy formed in her mind.

"True, that is the case. However, your Larvesta used a move called Corrode, a move which bypasses Steel's immunity to Poison and deals super-effective damage. And now that I know your Larvesta is part Poison, I can send in my Trapinch to finish the job!" Nora explained, sending out her second Pokémon as the Trapinch let out a small chirp at the sight of its foe. The Larvesta began by cloaking itself in a dark aura once more before lunging at the Trapinch, causing it to stagger back a few feet. The Trapinch soon followed up by conjuring up a series of rocks and hurled them towards the Larvesta, the small larvae dodging the attack, only to find itself trapped within the rocks. Seeing that its opponent was now vulnerable, the Trapinch burrowing into the soft ground, hoping to strike its foe a devastating blow. However, the Larvesta had an idea on what its foe was hoping to achieve and began building up a concoction of power and rage within its body. As soon as the Trapinch emerged from the ground, the Rage Pokémon unleashed its power, creating a small rift that transported the two Pokémon to a different direction. The two girls were taken aback by what they just witnessed, concern for their friends growing by the second. But soon enough, the rift would open up again, with both Pokémon tumbling out of it and landed on the soft grass, neither of them able to continue battling.

"L-Larvesta!" Natasha called out, running up to her Pokémon as Nora ran up to her Trapinch, the both of them checking up on them before sighing in relief that their Pokémon weren't seriously hurt. "S-Sorry about that, Nora…" The purple-haired girl apologized, the duo recalling their Pokémon.

"No need to apologize, but I do suggest you be careful around Larvesta in the future. The last thing you want is for it to take some unfortunate person into a different dimension and leave it there. Once it realizes that such a stunt is not acceptable, then it will refrain from repeating it in the near future." Nora informed her friend, growing quiet all of a sudden. "I'm just glad that the Perfection Cult left it behind; who knows what damage they can do with it."

"Actually, the one I have was their second one. The first one was said to be a lot more volatile and could release clouds filled with deadly toxins into the air. The one in charge of the experiment was forced to catch it but notes that additional experimentation is required to control it." Natasha informed her, a slight shiver going up Nora's spine. "But that can be discussed later, we've got a battle to conclude. And between you and me, my Delta Scyther's itching for a challenge!" She called out, sending out her next Pokémon as the Scyther let out a cry of valor to bolster its spirit.

"You're right, we can talk about this later. But for now, I'll let my Floette have some fun." The green-haired girl replied, sending out her next Pokémon with the small fairy cooing adorably. Soon enough, the Floette began by sending a barrage of razor-sharp leaves at her foe, with the Scyther swiping them into pieces. The Ice-Cleaver Pokémon the lunged at the Floette and slashed at it with its scythes, causing her to let out a cry of pain as she was sent flying back a few feet. However, she soon regained her tempo and conjured up a sizable gust of light-pink wind at its foe, causing Scyther to stagger back and fall onto the ground. Picking itself up, the Scyther lunged at its foe once more, it's scythes shining in the light as it slashed at the Floette once more, causing her to fall to the ground as a small cloud of dust was kicked up, the small Pokémon unable to continue fighting.

"Don't feel bad, you gave it your all out there…" Nora consoled her friend, recalling it to her ball as a determined smile formed on her face. "Looks like you asked for it, Natasha. Just don't come crying when my Celebi cleans your clock in record time!"

Reaching for her last ball, the green-haired girl sent out her most trusted ally, with the Time travel Pokémon letting out a quick chirp as it shot a confident gaze at its foe. The Celebi began by conjuring up a series of rocks imbued with an ancient power and flung them at the Scyther, knocking it off its feet as it rolled on the grass for a few moments. Getting back up, the Scyther let out an annoyed growl before lunging at its foe and swung its scythe down on it, striking the Celebi on its head as its pendant was knocked off its body. The Celebi's eyes then began to glow a vivid blue as it ensnared the Ice-Cleaver Pokémon in a blue aura before flinging it towards a nearby tree. Letting out a satisfied sigh, the Celebi began floating back towards Nora, only for it to get caught off-guard by a series of sharp icicles being flung its way. Weakly raising its head up, it saw the Scyther slowly making its way towards it, a triumphant smirk on its face as the Time Travel Pokémon slumped onto the ground, unable to continue battling.

"How'd you like that, Nora?" Natasha smiled, with her friend applauding her quietly.

"Impressive…I didn't think you could defeat my Celebi, but I was just proven wrong." Nora replied, the duo congratulating their Pokémon as well before recalling them to their balls. "Truth be told, I'm starting to get convinced that the prophecy was about you instead of me."

"Well that part about the Delta Call fits me, but I still think you have a major role in this prophecy. After all, it could've been about two heroes, each one blessed with a different gift, saving this region from the cults." The purple-haired girl commented, a thought popping into her mind. "By the way, have you seen Damian recently?"

"Him? Oh yeah, we just passed by each other earlier. He seems like a trustworthy kid, so I told him about Celebi and Mew. However, I don't think I fully expressed the importance of keeping quiet about it. When you see him next, would you mind telling him to keep quiet about it? The last thing I want is for him to spill the beans to the wrong person. Luckily, he should be in Vipik City to challenge Xavier in a Gym-Battle." The green-haired girl requested, glancing at the river. "It's to the south of here, past Route 4. I suggest you get some training in before the Gym Battle."

"That I will. It also wouldn't hurt to search the area for more Delta Pokémon." Natasha smiled, flashing a thumbs up at Nora. "Farewell Nora, I'll be looking forward to the day I get to see you again, sweetheart."

"S-Same here…" Nora replied, a fierce blush on her cheeks. The purple-haired girl hopped back onto her inflatable Lapras and rode it downstream, making her way to the dense Route 4 within a few minutes. The trees in the route were tall and thick, blocking out a majority of the sunlight, making the route a little harder to traverse through. Natasha soon hopped off her inflatable Lapras and packed it up when she heard a quiet rustling from behind. Turning around, the purple-haired girl saw a Sunkern approach her out of curiosity, the small Pokemon's body a dark purple as small drops of poison dribbled onto the ground, the two leaves on its head set alight. Determining it to be a Delta Species, the purple-haired girl was eager to catch it, quietly taking an empty Pokéball out of her pocket before tossing it at the Sunkern, the ball capturing the Blazing Oil Pokémon as it began to shake rather violently on the ground. The shaking soon died down, a satisfied smile on the girl's face as she picked up her newly acquired Pokémon.

"Don't worry, I'll earn your love and trust." She spoke to it, promptly tucking it away as she continued her journey through the jungle. Natasha took in the sights along the path as she continued walking, watching the various Water-type Pokémon frolicking in the large river that cut through the route at times. But it was at the final leg of the journey that she noticed a strange sight; an abandoned house within the jungle, a faint flash of light coming from the windows as if someone, or something was still living inside the place. A sense of curiosity building up inside her, the purple-haired girl made her way to the house and opened the door slowly, stepping inside and was taken aback by the sight before her. Sitting quietly on the stained carpet, huddling each other for protection were a pair of Ralts, their bodies a mixture of blue and white, and their hair a pristine yellow that crackled with a small bit of electricity, which explained the flashes from earlier. There was no doubt in her mind, these two were Delta Pokémon, but why were they left here? Were they more experiments created by Reukra, abandoned at the same time the Larvesta was? Nothing at the lab mentioned a project involving Ralts, but given how decrepit the place was, the data could've been lost to the sands of time. Regardless, she wasn't going to leave these two to fend for themselves.

"Hey there…you two look pretty lonely. Want to come with me? I've got plenty of other friends who'd love to keep you company." Natasha offered, outstretching her hand as a sign of trust. The two Ralts eyed her up cautiously, communicating to one another via their minds before opting to put their faith into her. Making their way to her, the two siblings touched the girl's hand, indicating that they're willing to trust her as she shot a smile at them. "I'll keep you two safe…no matter what fate befalls me."

Taking out a pair of empty Pokéballs and placing them on the ground, the two Ralts' tapped on the buttons and entered the balls, with Natasha picking them up and tucked them into her pocket as she proceeded to exit the house. She was amazed at just how many Delta Pokémon she was able to befriend within a short amount of time but realized that she needed to train them up if she wanted to defeat Xavier in a Gym Battle.

**That wraps this chapter up rather nicely, don't you think? A lot of captures in this chapter, but that's to be expected from a Delta Whisperer. Some readers may be confused as to why Natasha caught Delta Larvesta this early into the story, but I plan on making it her ace Pokemon. As for the Delta Ditto, I do plan on getting back to it via the small quest that involves the Ancient Tower and the Delta Noibat eggs so that's something to look forward to. However, the next chapter will be delayed a little so I can have enough time to write my Valentine's Day one-shot. Thank you all for reading, I'll see you in the next chapter.**

**Acquired Delta Pokémon:**

**D. Ivysaur**

**D. Charmeleon**

**D. Wartortle**

**D. Dugtrio**

**D. Dwebble (Cake) **

**D. Graveler**

**D. Aipom**

**D. Grimer**

**D. Solosis**

**D. Scyther**

**D. Larvesta**

**D. Sunkern**

**D. Ralts (x2) One male, one female**


	8. Chapter 8

**Sorry for the delay everyone, but I was a little busy with my Valentine's Day one-shot. Now that I've finished it, I'll be able to continue with this story. This chapter will have a nice gym battle in it, so that's something to look forward to.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon Insurgence; it is the property of its creators.**

After hours of exhausting training, Natasha and her crew of capable Pokémon finally entered the vast Vipik City, shrouded from the intense rays of the sun by the tall trees that sprouted from the ground. It created an atmosphere that while dark, was still able to be traversed through safely during the day. However, there was a city-issued curfew at 9pm, stating that all citizens should be inside their homes and are not allowed back outside until 6am the following day. From what she heard; it was issued to protect the people from the nocturnal hunters that roamed the jungle at this time. Checking the time on her watch, she saw that it was thirty minutes until curfew would be enforced, so the purple-haired girl made her way to the nearby Pokémon Center in order to rest for the night.

But as she was making her way to the Pokémon Center, she heard what sounded like something chewing noisily on a candy bar, causing the girl to grow cautious. Turning her head to the source of the noise, she saw what looked like a mysterious figure sitting on a tree stump, minding its own business as Natasha crept up towards it. Once she had approached it, the purple-haired girl was able to get a better look at it and was a little surprised at the sight. The culprit responsible for the noise was a Wooper, but it looked a lot different from its regular counterparts. For one, it's head was a vivid orange and was shaped like a pumpkin, its toothy grin covered in small bits of chocolate. Its torso was a deep purple, with a pattern on it that resembled a content, if bored face. Finally, it's tail was big and red, resembling a treat bag that a kid would bring with them during Halloween. These signs indicated to her that it was another Delta Species, the purple-haired girl thinking of a way to win it over.

"Is somebody hungry?" Natasha inquired, digging through her bag and brought out a second candy bar, attaching the Wooper's attention as it leapt off the stump and snatched it up in it's jaws, greedily consuming it as the girl gazed at it in awe. "You liked it, didn't you? I've got plenty more where that came from."

"Woooooper!" It chimed happily, jumping to her side and nuzzled her as she scooped it up into her arms. Gently petting it on the head, she promptly made her way inside the Pokémon Center, making her way to the front desk to book a room for the night as well as giving her other Pokémon a rest. With the nurse at the front desk informing her that her Pokémon will have recovered by the next morning upon handing her a key, the purple-haired girl made her way to the room she was renting, quickly getting changed into her pajamas as she got into the soft, plush bed.

"My journey so far has been interesting. I met so many friends, got out of my comfort zone, and I even discovered something about myself. It may have been smooth sailing at the beginning, but this is where things start to become tricky…" Natasha chimed to herself, watching her Wooper make itself comfortable on the bad. As the purple-haired girl started to drift off, her last thoughts were that of Nora. What was it about her that she found so…interesting? Was it her skills as a trainer? Was it her bond with Celebi? Or could it be that she was in…nah, it was too soon for something like that. After all, they had only met each other a few days ago. Still, there was the old saying 'love at first sight', so perhaps it could be that after all. But her feelings regarding Nora can wait for a moment, she had a Gym Battle to win tomorrow.

**The next morning**

The alarm started blaring loudly, with Natasha wearily moving her arm to stop the alarm, as she moved her head up and saw that it was quarter-past seven in the morning. Slowly getting out of bed, the purple-haired girl did a little stretch to wake her body up before making her way to the bathroom to freshen herself up. Twenty minutes later, she got out of the bathroom and began to redress herself, with the Wooper waking up a few minutes later and saw its trainer straightening out her cape.

"Ah, good morning. We'll be leaving her once I've tidied up the place. Wouldn't want to leave it a mess for the next trainer to rent this place…" She smiled, brushing her hair and put her crown back on. As she said she would, Natasha spent the next ten minutes tidying and cleaning up the place, a small sigh of satisfaction escaping her mouth as she gazed at her handywork. "That ought to do it. Now to hand the key back."

Gesturing her Wooper to hop up onto her shoulders, the teenage girl exited the small room and made her way to the front desk, exchanging the key for her Pokémon. With a quick thank you, she exited the Pokémon Center and made her way to the gym, a building that was nestled by the stump of an incredibly large tree, easily towering over seventy-five feet in the air. But as she was making her way to the gym, Natasha soon noticed a familiar figure chilling beside the entrance.

"Heya, Natasha! I see you're here to take on the Vipik City Gym." Damian chimed, the duo giving each other a firm handshake.

"Damian! It's good to see you again. I take it you already won your badge?" The purple-haired girl inquired.

"Not yet, I plan on getting in some additional training this morning. From what I've heard, the path to the leader would require you to go through some dark tunnels, so it's worth preparing for." The white-haired boy replied, noticing the Wooper resting on Natasha's shoulders. "I see you found another Delta Pokémon?"

"Yeah, I found this little cutie the other night. They were looking for food so I offered it a candy bar and they gobbled it up." She replied, with the Wooper letting out a quick chirp in response.

"I'm sure you and Nora can handle this gym easily, what with your bond with Mew and Celebi respectively. Then there's that special gift you have regarding Delta Pokémon—" Damian began, neither of them aware that an Abyssal Cultist had eavesdropped on the conversation, intrigued by what he was saying.

"Excuse me, but did I hear you correctly when you were talking about Mew? Or that part about the Delta Pokémon?" The cultist inquired, causing the duo to jump on the spot in surprise.

"N-No, of course not! We were joking around and stuff; neither of us are worthy of such a bond." The white-haired boy stammered quickly, hoping the cultist would fall for the bluff.

"I see, my apologies then. I'll be on my way." The cultist replied, making her way past them as a small smirk grew on her face. Once the cultist was out of earshot, the two teens let out a collective sigh of relief.

"Phew…that was a close one. Hopefully you now know why you must keep quiet about Nora and I at all costs. Who knows what would've happened if they found out." Natasha told him firmly.

"Y-You're right…I'm sorry about that." Damian apologized to her. "Anyway, I won't keep you waiting on your challenge. Good luck in there!"

"Same, good luck on your challenge as well!" The purple-haired girl replied, the duo going their separate ways as she made her way towards the gym and entered it.

**0000**

"Gaahhh…Damian wasn't lying when he said this place was dark." Natasha commented, crawling out of a hole in a tree as she rested on the soft grass below. The purple-haired girl had gotten lost in the various underground tunnels for around twenty minutes, exiting out of holes carved into trees, only to find herself at a dead end. She had managed to learn a bit about Xavier and his team, from the gym trainers, stationed at these dead ends. The man himself was once a ranger, hence the close bond he has with all his Pokémon. As for the team he uses, it's a Jungle-themed team with Bug and Poison being his main choices. They also mentioned a surprise he has that establishes him as the first real challenge in the Torren League, but opted to keep it a secret so as to not ruin the suspense. It was during her rest that Natasha saw that she finally above the ledges that stood before the entrance, a quick 'yes!' she got back up and made her way down the small dirt path and towards the gym leader, who she saw sitting casually on the ground.

Xavier himself was a fairly tall man, with light-brown skin, medium length green hair that was done up in a way that resembled the tip of a pine tree and piercing brown eyes. His outfit consisted of a short-sleeved black and yellow striped shirt, a pair of brown trousers that had a little wear at the pant helms, and a green jumper that was wrapped around his waist. Upon gazing at the approaching teen, he shot her a small but soothing smile at her. "What's good, young lady? The name's Xavier; I assume you're here for a gym battle?"

"Indeed; I'm more than capable of taking you on." Natasha replied confidently, a vigor in her step as the older man chuckled lightly.

"I'm sure you are, I've heard plenty of good things about you from Orion. However, there's a reason why I'm dubbed the first real challenge of the Torren league; my Pokémon can hit hard and hit fast, utilizing the terrain to their advantage. I also have a—well, I'll let you see for yourself…" He smirked, the two trainers moving to position as they began pondering on what Pokémon to start off with. "Time to get this battle rolling, Shuckle!"

"Ambipom, show them who rules the roost around here!" The purple-haired girl called out, the trainers sending out their Pokémon as they shot each other a determined look. Hours of dedicated training had honed the Ambipoms' body, it's ghostly arms reaching towards the ground and hoisted its light body in the air as it's non-ethereal arms were crossed over its chest. It's head had become detachable, which enabled it to play a variety of mischievous pranks.

The Shuckle started the battle by retracting into its shell and spewed several strings of sticky webbing from the various holes in its shell, coating the various trees in the hopes of leaving the Ambipom vulnerable to a follow up attack. However, the ghostly monkey wasn't going to fall for such trick, it's spectral arms grabbing the branches carefully so as to not get caught in the webbing. The Ambipom perched itself up high in the treetops, calling forth a series of ethereal chains to snag the small bowl of Berry Juice that the Shuckle kept to itself, the Mold Pokémon letting out a cry of despair as it's treat was taken away for the duration of the battle.

Now annoyed at it's foe, the Shuckle retreated into its shell and began spinning rapidly, charging towards the tree and crashed into it, with the Ambipom staggering on its feet before falling towards the ground. But just as it was about to crash-land, it managed to save itself and stare down it's foe, who spun around and rolled towards it. Standing its ground, the Ambipom used its ghostly arms to snag the incoming Shuckle, spinning on the spot rapidly before flinging it towards a second tree, causing it to crash into it as bits of bark fell to the ground. The Shuckle slowly slid down the tree before falling to the ground, unable to continue battling.

"Woah, now that was a neat move. That Ambipom of yours is something special…" Xavier commented, recalling his Pokémon before selecting his next one. "But this pal of mine will put an end to it's winning streak; Heracross, ready yourself for battle!"

The large Bug Pokémon emerged from its ball, an invigorated roar escaping from its mouth as it stared down the spectral monkey, it's thick horn shining in the morning light. The Heracross' wings started to buzz quickly, as it began flying towards the Ambipom at surprisingly quick speeds. It was able to dodge the initial charge, but a faint black aura started to envelop the Single Horn Pokémon, who quickly turned its head and knocked the Ambipom aside with considerable power. The monkey let out a cry of surprise as it rolled on the ground for a few seconds, picking itself back up and brushed the dirt and grass off its body before taking to the treetops once more.

From there, it proceeded to yank some fruit off the branches and began flinging it at its foe, with Heracross dodging half of the fruit, but was struck on the side by the rest. Once the barrage was over, it kicked its foot back and charged towards the tree its foe was nestled on, causing the Ambipom to stagger as it fell down to the ground. Seeing that it's foe was charging towards it at quick speeds, the Ambipom's eyes began to glow a purplish-red, accepting the incoming tackle as it was knocked towards the tree. The Heracross let out a small cheer for victory, unaware that a spectral shade had emerged from the Ambipom's body and dove towards the Bug Pokémon, going right through it as it was soon drained of energy and collapsed to the ground. Seeing that it was a tie, both trainers went over to their Pokémon to check up on them.

"You did your best out there, now it's time for a nice long nap…" Natasha cooed, recalling her fainted Ambipom with Xavier recalling his Heracross. "I see how you earned your claim to fame, those were some impressive tactics back there."

"During my time as a Pokémon Ranger, I was taught to use the environment to my advantage. But if there's none present, then I had to make my own advantage, like I'll show you now. Tentacruel, time to submerge our foe!" The former ranger called out, the large jellyfish emerging from its ball and shot a blast of water into a small crater, creating a small pond for it to rest in.

"Alright then, I'll send out my Gardevoir in response!" The purple-haired girl retorted, throwing her ball to the ground as the Nuzzle Pokémon emerged from its ball before bowing politely. She had changed considerably from its pre-evolution, having grown a lot taller than before, her billowing white dress now decorated with various blue patterns. Her trademark yellow hair crackled with static electricity as the Tentacruel gazed at her in intrigue.

Almost immediately, the Gardevoir charged up static electricity in her body and fired a bolt of lightning at her foe, with the jellyfish quickly forming a wondrous barrier of light to protect itself from the attack. Following the attack, the Tentacruel retaliated by spewing a glob of viscous green fluid, coating the Nuzzle Pokémon as she shivered in discomfort from the toxic sludge. As the Gardevoir was busy wiping the green fluid off her body, the Tentacruel reared its front tentacles and spewed a dark-purple fluid at its foe, the poison striking the Gardevoir as a burning sensation coursed through her body. Staggering back in pain from the attack, the Gardevoir managed to collect her will and call forth a giant thunderbolt, the attack striking the Tentacruel head-on as it let out a low groan of pain as electricity coursed throughout its body. A few seconds later, the lightning died down, with Tentacruel's unconscious form bobbing up and down in the water.

"Oh my…" Was all Xavier could say in response, recalling his Tentacruel as he began to form a new plan of attack in his mind. "If the water's a no-go zone, then I'll have to take a page from your book and utilize the spirit world. Haunter, make them shiver in fear!"

"Haunter-Han!" The mischievous ghost cackled, floating in the air and poked it's tongue out at the Gardevoir. Unamused by it's shenanigans, she held her arms out and formed a ball for ice-cold energy in her hands, before channeling it into a beam and fired it at the Haunter. The ghost Pokémon conjured up a series of spectral flames in response and fired it at the Ice Beam, weakening its power greatly and enabled it to take the hit. Shaking off the attack, the Haunter conjured up a ball of ominous energy, flinging it towards the Gardevoir at rapid speeds as she was pushed back by the powerful attack. Shooting a quick glare at the ghost Pokémon, she began to collect her mental energy and gather it in a vivid pink ball, the Haunter eyeing her up curiously as it began to understand her plan. It shot the Gardevoir a sinister look, its eyes glowing a purplish-red as Natasha caught on to its wicked scheme.

"W-Wait Gardevoir!" She called out, but it was too late. The Gardevoir had launched her ball of psychic energy at the Haunter, who let out a quick cry of pain as it was sent hurtling towards the ground and crash landed. As it had planned, a spectral shade emerged from its body and dove towards the Gardevoir, draining her of all her energy as she collapsed onto the ground as well. "Oh no…"

"Seems that you're not the only one who has mastered Destiny Bond." Xavier quipped, the duo consoling their Pokémon before recalling them as he quickly selected his next Pokémon. "Don't worry, this next one doesn't have the move, but it'll still cause you plenty of trouble!"

Natasha gazed quietly at the Croagunk that emerged from the ball, the frog Pokémon hopping up and down on the spot as she decided on what Pokémon to send out next. With a quick flick of her wrist, she threw her ball to the ground and sent out her Grimer, the Quicksand Pokémon letting out a low chirp in response. Almost immediately, the Croagunk lunged at the Grimer, causing it to flinch only for the frog to clap its hands a few inches from its face. It began chuckling to itself, only for the annoyed Grimer to retaliate with a swift punch, causing the Croagunk to stagger back a few feet. The Grimer kept up the tempo by burrowing into the ground, causing its foe to pause on the spot as it searched around for it. Just then the ground began to tremble, with the Croagunk struggling to maintain its footing as it soon collapsed onto the soft dirt floor. But as it was about to get back it, the Grimer emerged from the ground and tackled it, sending the frog flying back several feet as it crashed into the ground, unable to continue battling.

"Yes, only one more to go!" The purple-haired girl cheered, watching Xavier recall his Pokémon before fishing something out of his pocket.

"That may be the case, but I did warn you about my trump card. Now it's time for you to get a taste of the Torren League; Beedrill, time to Mega-Evolve!" The green-haired man called out, sending out his final Pokémon as he placed the Mega Ring over his wrist and pressed it. The large bee was enveloped in a wonderous ball of light, breaking free from it a few seconds later as it let out an ear-piercing buzz. The Grimer was a little unnerved by its foe, but wasn't ready to back down yet, coughing up a ball of mud and flung it towards the Beedrill, who promptly shattered it with its large stinger.

Taking flight, the Beedrill lunged at the Quicksand Pokémon, jabbing it relentlessly with its stingers as the Grimer was pushed back by the assault. It then attempted to swing at the large bee with its fist, only for it to dodge it and retaliate with a quick jab from its fore-stingers. It then took to the skies and dove down on the Grimer, jabbing it with its stingers and sent it flying back towards Natasha, the Quicksand Pokémon attempting to get back up, but was unable to do so.

"G-Grimer!" She called out in concern, running towards it and check up on it to see if it was alright. Sighing in relief that it was alright, she recalled it to its ball before pondering on what to send out against the Mega-Beedrill. She knew that as it had a wide variety of moves, her next Pokémon would need to resist all of them to the best of its capabilities, and there was one who could do that job. "Larvesta, time to save the day!"

The small larvae emerged from its ball, eyeing up the Beedrill confidently as it soon formed a plan in its mind. The Beedrill proceeded to take flight and dove towards the Larvesta, but the small Pokémon was able to enter a wormhole in time, halting the bee in its tracks. The Mega Pokémon surveyed the area cautiously, awaiting its foe to re-emerge from its hiding place. It would soon get its wish as the Larvesta emerged from the wormhole it had created and tackled the Beedrill, knocking it to the ground. The large bee floated back into the air and brushed the dirt off its body before striking the larvae with its abdominal stinger, sending it flying towards a tree and crashed into it. The Beedrill assumed its foe was knocked out and flew towards its comrade, only for it to shiver on the spot as it felt an intense rage in the air. Turning around slowly, it saw the Larvesta crawling towards it, its eyes glowing a piercing red as its body was cloaked in a reddish-black aura. Letting out a quick chirp of anger, the Rage Pokémon lunged at the Beedrill and assaulted it with an onslaught of charges, juggling the bee multiple times before it crashed into the ground.

"T-That's enough, Larvesta. No need to go overboard!" Natasha called out, her voice halting the larvae in its tracks as it ceased its assault on the Beedrill, who reverted back to its regular form as it was unable to continue battling. Making her way to the Larvesta, she gingerly picked it up before shooting an apologetic look at Xavier. "I'm so sorry, Xavier. I didn't think Larvesta would be that…relentless."

"No need to worry, my Beedrill should be fine after a good night's rest. But I do recommend you take care of that little critter; it clearly has some pent-up anger issues." The former ranger replied, recalling his fainted Pokémon.

"Considering how it's previous trainer experimented on it, before abandoning it and left it to die, it'll take some time before it can recover from the trauma." The purple-haired girl chimed in.

"Yeah, that sounds like a surefire way to get your Pokémon to hate you. That aside, I greatly enjoyed our Gym Battle. Here, you've earnt the Stinger Badge." Xavier replied, handing the young girl a metal badge which depicted a rather large bee flying over a green shrub.

"Thank you so much!" Natasha smiled, placing the badge on her trainer card before putting it away. "So where's the next Gym Leader?"

"The next Gym Leader? That would be East of Helios City; if you thought I was strong, then he makes me look like a joke. I'd advise extreme caution when battling him." The green-haired man replied, the duo waving each other goodbye as the purple-haired girl made her way outside.

"Larvesta, I thought I told you to be gentle towards other Pokémon. I know you need an outlet to release your anger, but attacking others relentlessly isn't the way to go…" She told it, a quiet chirp escaping from the small larvae as she began petting its head gently. "There, there…I'll stay by your side no matter what happens."

But as the duo were minding their own business, they soon heard someone calling out to them. Turning to the source of the voice, they saw what appeared to be a hiker approaching them. "Excuse me, but would your name happen to be Natasha by any chance?" The hiker inquired.

"Yes, that's me. Why'd you ask?" Natasha inquired, with the man reaching into his pocket and handed her an envelope. Opening it quickly, the purple-haired girl was taken aback by the contents of the letter.

'_To the one that was chosen by Mew. We have your friend. We will be waiting in the city dump for your arrival. Come alone, or he dies.'_

"Oh my god…where is the city dump?!" She demanded, catching the older man off-guard.

"I-It's at the easternmost point of the city. Y-You aren't thinking of going—" he began, only for Natasha to run off towards the dump, hoping that she wasn't too late to save her friend.

**0000**

Having made her way to the dump, she was taken aback by the noxious smell that emanated from the area, the scent of hot garbage causing the Larvesta to bury its head into the girl's arms. However, she opted to brave the stench for the sake of her friend and traversed through the large dumping ground. Eventually, she made her way to her destination, where she saw Damian standing precariously on a small piece of land, surrounded by what looked to be corrosive, polluted green water.

"N-Natasha!" Damian called out to her, with the purple-haired girl attempting to run towards him, only for a trio of Abyssal cultists to block her path.

"Ah, you decided to come. Good, now we can get down to business. I overheard you two talking about Mew while I was taking a walk; for someone who has a chance of being the hero of the ancient prophecy, you sure know how to spill the beans." The cultist taunted, the two grunts beside her sporting twisted sneers. "I'll be quick here, you give us Mew in exchange for the boy."

"Don't do it Natasha, I'm not worth it!" The white-haired boy called out to her.

"Oh shut up!" The female cultist shot back at him, turning towards Natasha once more. "So, what will it be…?"

"W-Well, I…" The purple-haired girl stammered, unsure on how to deal with the ultimatum presented before her, only for a quiet chirp to echo out through the area. Turning to the side, she saw Mew hovering beside her shoulder, floating towards Damian as a smirk grew on the cultist's face.

"M-Mew, what are you—" Damian began, only for the Mew to chirp quietly into his ear, the white-haired boy seemingly understanding what it was saying.

"Predictable…mythical Pokémon like Mew would always come to help those in distress, even at their own detriment. Now come to us Mew, unless you want these two to—" The cultist demanded, only for a second chirp to echo throughout the area. Quickly swooping down from the air and towards the Mew was the mythical Shaymin in its Sky Form, it's body glowing a light green as it floated above the polluted pond. It then proceeded to unleash its energy, purifying the pond of its corrosion and toxicity as the cultists stepped back in fear.

"S-Shaymin?! W-What's it doing here?!" One of the grunts called out.

"I don't know, but I'm not sticking around to find out. This mission is a complete bust!" The cultist replied, the trio quickly retreating from the area as Natasha watched them go.

"You knew Shaymin was nearby, didn't you?" She spoke to Mew, the New Species Pokémon nodding in confirmation as it helped Damian get back onto dry land.

"Th-Thanks for the save Mew. And thanks for saving me as well Shaymin, I owe you—" Damian thanked the two legendary Pokémon, only for the Shaymin to nuzzle him affectionately. "E-Eh?! What's going on?"

"I think Shaymin wants to travel with you; it knows you're a good person who wishes to make the world a better place." Natasha told him, with Mew returning to her side as the white-haired boy gazed quietly at the Shaymin.

"I-Is that true…?" He asked, with the Shaymin nodding in confirmation. "T-That's incredible! I'll make sure to take very good care of you!"

"I know you will, Damian. But you need to keep quiet about this; after all you nearly lost your life today." The purple-haired girl warned him.

"I-I will; I'll tell Nora the good news and that's it." Damian pledged, making his way out of the dump but not before turning to his friend one more time. "Thanks for coming to save me Natasha, I really appreciate it."

"No need to thank me, I'd do anything for my friend." She replied, the duo proceeding to leave the dump and its wretched smell behind them.

**Sorry for the long wait, but hopefully this chapter makes up for it. The next couple of chapters should be slow, so that's a nice change of pace from the last three. Thank you all for reading my story, I'll see you in the next chapter.**

**Acquired Delta Pokémon:**

**D. Ivysaur**

**D. Charmeleon**

**D. Wartortle**

**D. Dugtrio**

**D. Dwebble (Cake) **

**D. Graveler**

**D. Ambipom**

**D. Grimer**

**D. Solosis**

**D. Scyther**

**D. Larvesta**

**D. Sunkern**

**D. Gardevoir (female)**

**D. Kirlia (Male)**

**D. Wooper**


	9. Chapter 9

**Now that the second gym battle has been completed, and Damian rescued from the clutches of the Abyssal Cult, I think it's about time for Natasha to do a little more exploring, don't you think?**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon Insurgence; it is the property of its creators.**

The previous day had been quite a busy one for Natasha; between the Gym Battle with Xavier and the confrontation at the city dump. But it wasn't entirely doom and gloom, as it was when Damien befriended the legendary Shaymin, who had come to his aid when he needed it. But now the excitement was all over, and the young teen could chill out for the day and explore the vast Torren region, uncovering one of its many secrets. Packing up her bag, she quietly exited the Pokémon Center and began making her way south, towards the Crossroads of Torren. Most trainers who arrive at the Crossroads go to the east, where the winding path takes them to Koril Town. However, the path leading west hasn't been fully explored, with rumors floating about of a blanket of mist that snatches up wayward trainers and takes them to an unknown location. Intrigued as to what may lie in wait for her, Natasha opted to go west, down the small slope and onto the path that so few have taken.

At first, the trip seemed…disappointing. Sure, the surrounding scenery was a treat for the eyes, but she was expecting a little more excitement. Something that would really get the blood pumping. Opting to stop by the river to gage her location, Natasha was soon distracted by the sight of…something perched precariously on a stone spire, situated in the middle of a small island in the river. Bringing out her Inflatable Lapras, she hopped on it and slowly made her way towards the island, unaware that a thick mist was settling over the area. She hopped on the island and approached the stone spire, gently grabbing whatever it was that was perched on the spire and took a closer look at it. It looked to be a young Pichu, a little slimmer than a normal Pichu, and had a completely different coloration, which consisted of black and white. But easily the most notable difference was that its ears and tail looked more like fluffy wings as opposed to their normal appearance.

"A Delta Pichu…?" Natasha inquired, staring at it for a few seconds before nuzzling it affectionately. "Aren't you just the cutest?"

"Pi-pi!" The tiny rodent chirped, taken aback by the sudden affection before nuzzling her back. The purple-haired girl shot her new friend a smile before allowing it to climb up on her shoulder, her eyes focusing back on the spire as she soon noticed something odd about it. There appeared to be several tiles all jumbled up, designed as if they were meant to form a picture of sorts. She was intrigued at the sight of this puzzle; who made it and why place it here? Regardless, she didn't see any harm in attempting to solve it, so she scooped out all the pieces into her hand and began place them one by one, shifting them to the side when needed. A trick she uses when it comes to puzzles like these was to start out with the edges and work your way to the center, and it was working well in this instance. In fact, it worked so well that she had completed the puzzle less than five minutes after starting it. Once the puzzle was done, the purple-haired girl saw that it resembled the mythical Meloetta, the image glowing a bright white before disappearing into nothing, leaving a small scroll tucked inside a small alcove.

"What the…?" Natasha began, taking the scroll and staring at it cautiously. There must be some good reason why this thing was kept hidden behind a puzzle located on a tiny island off the beaten path. Could it be a key to some hidden treasure, a rare Delta Pokémon, or something that humanity was never meant to lay eyes upon? Now things were starting to pick up for her; she now has a little side quest that she could do on top of her main quest. Tucking the scroll into her bag, she turned around and made her way to her Inflatable Lapras, only to see that the entire area was now blanketed in a thick fog.

"P-Pii…" The Delta Pichu squeaked nervously, burrowing it's face into her shoulder in fear. Realizing that it didn't want to get separated from its new friend in this mist, Natasha quietly consoled it before recalling it to its ball, where it would be nice and safe from the elements. Hopping on to the Lapras, she began sailing to the west, where she had come from initially. At least she thought she was going west, but this mist had obscured her vision entirely, meaning that she could very well be heading off into some unknown direction, drifting further and further into the sea, or perhaps an entirely different area altogether. But those thoughts of getting lost at sea were soon dispelled by the scent of…tropical fruit? Following the scent, she soon made her way towards a small island, hopping onto dry land as she saw what was behind the scent; a series of fruit trees planted on the island, with several serpentine Pokémon feasting on the bounty. Was this a hidden paradise for snake Pokémon, where they can live without worrying about getting eaten by predators? Her thoughts were soon distracted by something rubbing against her leg, the purple-haired girl quietly looking down and saw the culprit responsible.

By her feet was a fairly long serpent, its orange body rather plump and lined up with purple stripes. It had fluffy purple hair covering its face as well as a ring of purple hair around its body, the snake's snout moving up and opened wide, its forked tongue gently licking the girl's pantleg. At first she had no idea what it was, until she took a closer look at the snout, and saw that it resembled that of a Deino, making this specimen a Delta Deino. Gently picking up the Deino, she was a little taken aback when it attempted to bite her, moving it away just in time. Slithering out of her grasp, it crawled up her arm and towards her neck, sniffing it before taking a cautionary lick, a muffled giggle escaping from her mouth.

"See? I told you I mean no harm." Natasha replied calmly, easing the timid Pokemon's spirit as the mist started to die down, the purple-haired girl finding out that this island was nestled near a tall cliffside, with Telnor Town overlooking it. Her mind was at a loss for words, the feeling only intensifying as she took a glance at her watch. Somehow, four entire hours had passed, when it only felt like half an hour at most. Did she somehow stumble upon a wormhole or something while traversing through that mist, or did it have some otherworldly properties? Either way, she had to get back on track as soon as possible, to make up for lost time. Making her way back to her Inflatable Lapras, she hopped on it, only to feel the Delta Deino slither onto her lap. "Hmmm? You want to come along with me?"

The serpent nodding in confirmation, the purple-haired girl shooting it a smile as she began moving her Lapras back towards dry land and away from that mysterious mist.

**0000**

Having arrived back at the Crossroads, Natasha packed away her Lapras and made her wat towards Koril Town, where she'll most likely rest up for the night. Granted, she could try and traverse the desert at night, but that would be an incredibly foolish move as that's when the most dangerous predators come out to hunt. At first, her trek down Route 5 was nice and peaceful, with the wild Pokémon keeping to themselves for the most part. However, her peaceful trek was soon interrupted by the sound of trainers fleeing out of the nearby Samsara Cave, their faces contorted into looks of terror.

"H-Hey, what's going on?" She asked one of the trainers.

"D-Demon! There's a demon in this cave! It flew out from some hidden chamber and began petrifying people. I-I had to get out of there, or else it would've gotten me as well!" The trainer rambled, another scream escaping his mouth as he continued to run down the path. Intrigued at the thought of this "demon", Natasha made her way into the cave, a few trainers turning around and went wide-eyed over the sight of her entering the cave. Upon taking a few steps into the dark, dank cave, she soon found what could be behind the petrifications. Perched atop a petrified trainer was what looked like a Pidgey, gazing menacingly at the purple-haired girl. Its body was covered in dark brown and black feathers, with a small rooster crest atop its head. Its feet ended in sharp talons that could puncture skin, and its serpentine tail wiggled aimlessly in the air. There was no doubt about it, this was a Delta Pokémon, and it looked like it wanted a fight.

"So you want a battle, eh? Then allow me to provide you one; time to shine, Deino!" Natasha declared, sending out her Deino as the small serpent eyed up the intimidating bird, who shot it a glare in response. Proceeding to take flight, the Pidgey swooped down towards the Deino and tackled it, sending the snake rolling back a few feet. However, the Deino was not out for the count yet, rearing up and bit down on the Pidgeys back, a low chirp of pain escaping from its yellow beak. It spent the next few moments attempted to shake the Deino off, which it did but not without losing a few feathers. Flying back onto the petrified trainer, it promptly groomed itself before attempting to swoop down on its opponent once more. However, the Deino was prepared this time, dodging the attack at the last minute before smacking it down with its tail, causing the Pidgey to crash into the dirt.

"P-Pidgey!" The weakened bird squawked at Natasha, shooting a half-hearted glare at her as she quietly approached the Pokémon.

"Why have you petrified all those people? You're not supposed to do that." She inquired, the Pidgey slowly approaching her as it soon began to tell its side of the story. From what she could gather, the Pidgey was just minding its business when the trainers disturbed its slumber. One of them attempted to capture it, only for it to break out and go on a rampage, petrifying people left and right. "I get it, you just wanted to be left alone, but was rudely interrupted by the other trainers."

"Pid! Pid!" The bird Pokémon chirped in conformation, with Deino approaching it slowly and hissed an apology, with the Pidgey hissing back in acceptance. The bird then turned it's attention to the purple-haired trainer, gazing at it as if wondering what's going to happen next.

"Well that depends on what you want to do. You could stay here, or you could come along with us. I'll leave the choice up to you." Natasha offered, with the Pidgey mulling it over. On one hand, it liked the idea of staying inside its home, away from the prying eyes of intruders. But on the other hand, this little incident could cause even more people to flock towards it, and try to capture it. Noticing how happy the Deino was with its trainer, it decided to take it's chance with her. Slowly getting up off the ground, it flew up to her shoulder, pecking her cheek gently as the Deino slithered onto her other shoulder. "Seems that you've made your choice. Don't worry, I'll take good care of you."

Upon saying that, she saw one of the petrified trainers slowly moving their fingers, the purple-haired girl realizing that the petrification wasn't permanent. Not wanting to get into an argument with the trainers, she chose to quietly exit the cave and finish the trek to Koril Town.

**Koril Town**

Koril Town, a small rest stop for trainers to prepare themselves for their adventure into the treacherous Rezzai Desert, where a permanent sandstorm blows around the area. Not to say that the town was completely empty; it was home to the well-renown Scientists Club after all, as well as a stock market for trainers to partake in. But it was the small cave located in the mountain resting behind the town that attracted Natasha's attention; who knows what secrets could be hidden inside its depths? Getting herself ready, she quietly made her way towards the cave and stepped inside, the murky darkness surrounding her as she soon laid eyes on what it was the cave was hiding. Nestled atop a ledge was another one of those stone spires, with a similar puzzle placed on the front. Quickly climbing up the ledge to investigate, the purple-haired girl approached the spire and began to solve the puzzle as soon as possible. Luckily for her, the puzzle was very similar to the first one she solved, hence why it took a few minutes to complete. Like before, the completed image of Meloetta glowed momentarily before disappearing, revealing another mysterious scroll tucked in the alcove.

"There we go…" She smiled to herself, taking the scroll and gazed at it before putting it in her bag. Just how many of those scrolls were there in Torren? Whatever they're the key to much be incredibly valuable if this amount of effort was put into scattering the keys allover the place. As there was nothing of much value in the cave asides from that spire, Natasha climbed down the ledge before exiting the cave, promptly making her way to the Pokémon Center. Upon arriving there, she placed her Pokéballs in the machine so that her friends can rest and recover before making her way to the lobby, taking a seat as she overheard a pair of trainers talking to one another.

"It's a shame that the Stock Market is closed for the month; I was hoping to put my investment skills to great use." The first trainer, an elderly gentleman in a brown suit complained.

"They're probably doing renovations to ensure something like that incident doesn't happen again. It's a miracle no-one was killed." The second trainer, a young woman in casual clothes resting beside a large backpack replied.

"My friend was there when it happened; had he been standing another foot or two to the left, that television would've crushed him." The gentleman continued. "So, are there any other ways I could make some extra money?"

"Well there's that Scientists' Club nearby. I've heard that they pay well to those who help around with the grunt work." The backpacker answered, with the older gentleman mulling it over.

"As tempting as it is, I'm afraid that I won't be of much use in the heavy labor department, on account of my old age." He replied, as a new idea formed in his mind. "I could try my luck at the Games Corner in Roggan Town, I was always good at Voltorb Flip after all."

"Fine by me; I brought my metal detector with me in the hopes of finding something nice in the desert. Best of luck to you, mister." The backpacker smiled back at him.

"Best of luck to you, young lady." He wished her luck as well, the duo going back to whatever book they were reading as an idea formed in Natasha's mind. This Scientist's Club sounded like a great way to earn some extra cash, cash that she would need if she were to take care of all the Delta Pokémon she has. Heck, they might even give her a bit of advice on how to care for them. It was then that a light _'ding'_ went off, indicating that her Pokémon were fully healed. Thanking the nurse by the counter, she took her Pokémon back and exited the center, looking around for the Scientist's Club Headquarters. A few minutes later, she soon found a lab overlooking the large lake in the middle of the town, a sign by the door reading 'Scientist's Club, everyone welcome!'

"Aha! This is the right place!" Natasha smiled to herself, making her way to the front door and knocked on it. With a voice on the other side gesturing her to step inside, the purple-haired girl opened the door and entered the lab, where she was greeted by around five or so scientists.

"Welcome to the Scientist's Club. The name's Monika and I'm the head of the club, I assume you're here for a bit of work." A young lady greeted her, readjusting her red-framed glasses.

"Yes, but that's not the only reason I'm here. I'll explain later, but for now I need a bit of extra money." The purple-haired girl replied.

"Well it's a good thing you came here when you did, as something unexpected happened. The Pokémon we revived from a few fossils the other day have broken out of their enclosure and have caused some havoc in the storage room. If you can deal with their leader, then the rest should back down." The scientist requested.

"Sounds like a plan! Is there anything else I need to keep in mind?" Natasha pressed further.

"Well, yes. We would greatly appreciate it if you didn't try and capture any of the Pokémon; we're still studying them, and we don't want months of hard work to go to waste." Monika requested.

"Got it! I won't disappoint you!" The purple-haired girl pledged, making her way to the storage room and closed the door behind her, only for her eyes to widen at the sight. There were several, if not dozens of prehistoric Pokémon running rampant, all from a wide variety of regions. Cardboard boxes were destroyed, their contents spilling everywhere, and the food bags were torn open, with several of the Pokémon chowing down on the food. Standing atop a metal crate was a Kabutops, pointing its scythes throughout the room with the Pokémon following it's orders. This must be their leader, the one who instigated the breakout. "Hey, I wish to challenge you!" She called out to the Shellfish Pokémon, who turned to face her with a look of intrigue in its eyes.

"Kabu…" It chittered, gesturing its scythes at her as if it accepted her challenge. With a quick flick of her wrist, Natasha sent out her Delta Quagsire, the teenage girl grateful for all the training she had put in before leaving Vipik City. The Delta Quagsire was considerably larger than its pre-evolution, with a pair of lanky arms holding onto its sack-like tail firmly. The pattern on its torso now resembled an angry snarl, sharp teeth lining the mouth while its real face was sporting a soft smile at the Kabutops.

Lowering its head, the Kabutops cloaked its body in water before lunging at the Quagsire, who was soon pushed back by the attack but was relatively unharmed. The Quagsire swung its tail around and pushed the Shellfish Pokémon back, opening its mouth slightly as a stream of ghostly fireballs. The Kabutops attempted to destroy the fireballs with its scythes, managing to take out most of them, but was struck by the remaining few, it's body now covered in small burns. Seizing this opportunity, the Quagsire rummaged through its sack and threw a barrage of hard seeds at the Shellfish Pokémon, striking it directly as it staggered back a few feet before falling onto its back. The other fossil Pokémon saw what had happened and stepped back in fear, not wanting to suffer a similar fate.

"Monika, I've dealt with the problem. You can come in now!" Natasha called out, the door to the storage room opening as Monika and her fellow scientists entered the room to clean up the mess left behind. A pair of scientists made their way to the injured Kabutops, picking it up and took it to the medical room to treat its injuries, while the other scientists were shepherding the other fossil Pokémon back to their enclosure.

"Thank you so much for helping us, I knew I could count on—is that a Delta Quagsire!?" Monika exclaimed, eyeing up the Delta Species in awe as it turned to face her, a quick chime escaping from its mouth.

"Yes, it is. Funnily enough, that's the main reason I'm here; I've caught several Delta Pokémon and I was wondering if you knew any tips on how to take proper care of them." The purple-haired girl chimed in, the scientist gazing at the Quagsire carefully before thinking to herself.

"Well if it's a check up you want, then I'll be happy to help; I know a few things about Delta Species." Monika smiled, gesturing the duo to follow her into the main room of the laboratory, where several computers were resting idly atop a few desks. From there, the young scientist spent the next few hours checking over all of Natasha's Delta Pokémon, with her assistant jotting down notes fervently. Once the check up was done, the assistant handed over their notes to Monika, who began to furiously type away at her keyboard.

"So how'd the check up go?" Natasha inquired.

"Your Pokémon are in tip-top shape and are happy for the most part. Seems they really like you." The scientist answered, an ingenious idea soon forming in her mind. "Hey, Natasha. How would you feel about coming with us to the Holon Region once the subway's been repaired?"

"H-Holon Region?" She began, the words clicking in her mind. The Holon Region was the natural home for the Delta Species after all, with talk of the region being set up as a natural preserve after all. Perhaps this is what her mission was; to help build a safe place for the Delta Pokémon to frolic in peace. "Why are you interested in the Holon Region?"

"As you may know, Delta Species are still a relatively unknown phenomenon to the general populace, with many secrets surrounding them to this day. However, we have learnt that they place of origin was the Holon Region, a place far from any other region in the world. The Scientist's Club wishes to investigate this place to see if the environment plays a role in why they end up a whole lot different from their regular counterparts." Monika explained to her.

"That does make sense, they are intriguing after all. But I can't say I'm comfortable with the idea of dozens of tourists coming to the island just to catch them. It may be a bit hypocritical coming from me, but I would like the place to be a preserve; once I'm done with my journey as a trainer, I might release my Delta Pokémon to the region, so that they can live the rest of their lives in peace. From there, I'll spend the rest of my time watching them, helping raise awareness about them to the public while taking care of them." Natasha stated, as a dream soon formed in her mind. A place where Delta Pokémon could live in peace without worrying about greedy trainers exploiting them for their own gain.

"Such a wonderful idea. A shame that you might get attacked for your belief by Professor Maple, but we'll deal with him when the time comes." The bespectacled scientist replied, briefly glancing at her watch. "We may be done with the preliminary checkup, but I hope you don't mind if we study your Pokémon even further. It'll be an all-nighter though, so I hope you don't mind too much."

"Fine by me. So long as I'm allowed to be nearby while these studies are being performed, then you can go ahead. After all, it's starting to become dark, and I'm not taking my chances with the desert at this time." The purple-haired girl agreed, with Monika continuing writing up her notes as the teenage girl began thinking to herself. This woman, she seemed like a strong ally for her cause, but who was this Professor Maple she mentioned? Was he some sort of anti-Delta Species man who thinks they should all be exterminated? Or was he some power-hungry brute who wishes to exploit them for his own gain? Was he part of a cult, or a lone wolf? These were questions that she couldn't answer right now due to a lack of information, but for now she had other things on her mind, like dealing with the cults for good.

**That about does it for this chapter, and there were plenty of nice captures in it. So what do you think of Natasha's main goal, setting up the Holon Region as a peaceful preserve for Delta Pokémon? I figured that it would be a nice change of pace from beating the Champion and becoming the best trainer. Anyway, the next chapter will be a bit more plot heavy and will feature a nice rival battle as well, so that'll be something to look forward to. Thank you all for reading my story, I'll see you in the next chapter!**

**Acquired Delta Pokémon:**

**D. Ivysaur**

**D. Charmeleon**

**D. Wartortle**

**D. Dugtrio**

**D. Dwebble (Cake) **

**D. Graveler**

**D. Ambipom**

**D. Grimer**

**D. Solosis**

**D. Scyther**

**D. Larvesta**

**D. Sunkern**

**D. Gardevoir (female)**

**D. Kirlia (Male)**

**D. Quagsire**

**D. Pichu**

**D. Deino**

**D. Pidgey**


	10. Chapter 10

**Welcome to the next chapter of Delta Whisper, I hope you all enjoy it as it'll contain an exciting rival battle. But which rival will it be? You'll have to read the chapter in order to find out.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon Insurgence; it is the property of its creators.**

Having spent the previous night taking care of her Pokémon alongside Monika and her friends at the Scientists Club, Natasha was more than ready to head into the Rezzai Desert and continue her journey. Having packed her bag for the perilous trip, she waved her friends farewell before leaving the small town, taking her first steps into the desert as she was soon bombarded with a hot blast of wind.

"Gah! They weren't kidding when they warned me about how hot this place is." Natasha exclaimed, wiping the sweat off her forehead as she continued to trek through the desert, the sand sticking to her shoes. While she was walking, the purple-haired girl began mulling over her friends, namely how they were doing on their respective journeys. From her experience, Xavier was no joke in battle, especially that Mega-Beedrill of his; it would be an especially tough hurdle for Celebi or Shaymin to surpass. But then she remembered that neither Nora or Damian would risk exposing themselves to the cults for the sake of gaining an advantage in a gym battle, the purple-haired girl confident that both of them would've defeated him by now. As she was making her way into the small cave that connected both sides of the desert, she accidentally bumped into someone making their way out.

"W-Woah!" Damian cried out, the duo falling to the ground before slowly picking themselves up. "Ahh…sorry Natasha. I didn't mean to bump into you like that."

"No, I should be the one apologizing. Had I been just a bit more careful, I wouldn't have bumped into you." Natasha apologized to her friend. "So, how did your battle with Xavier go?"

"Pretty well, all my training paid off in the end. His Mega-Beedrill was tough though; hits hard and hits fast." The white-haired boy replied, showing off the red scarf he wore around his neck, the pattern resembling the red flower on Shaymin's body. "So, do you like my scarf? I figured I'd get something that shows the bond I've formed with Shaymin."

"I love it! Truth be told, I wish I had something to wear that shows my bond with Mew, but I like what I'm wearing so much." The purple-haired girl chimed in, an idea soon forming in her mind. "Hey, why don't we have a battle? It's been quite a while since we last fought."

"I was just about to suggest that!" Damian chuckled lightly, reaching for a Pokéball. "Don't worry, I won't send out Shaymin. Wouldn't want another cultist to find out about us, eh?"

With a quick flick of his wrist, the young man sent out a Crawdaunt, the vicious lobster snipping its large claws in the air menacingly. Natasha, a calm smile on her face, retaliated be sending out her Delta Blastoise, the large tortoise staring down its opponent. It's body was a lot larger than its pre-evolution, with a few sharp spikes shining atop its massive shell. A small red bandana was wrapped around its head, its tails floating idly in the air as it stretched its stubby arms. It started off by channeling it's fighting spirit into a ball of orange energy, the ball growing until it was the size of a small boulder with the tortoise flinging it at the Crawdaunt. The large lobster braced itself, using its claws to shield itself from the attack, but was pushed back a few feet from the blast. Wiping the dust off its claws, it's star-shaped horn began glowing a vivid blue, the Crawdaunt taking it off to fling at the Blastoise, the attack sending the tortoise flying back as the shell returned back to its owner, the lobster shooting a smug look as it popped it back on its head.

Now annoyed at its foe, the Blastoise retracted into its shell, spinning on the ground rapidly as it spun towards the Crawdaunt, striking it head on and pushed it into a set of small rocks. The Blastoise then spun deeper into the cave, turning back around to strike its foe again, only for the Crawdaunt to hold the spinning shell in place with its claw, the Rouge Pokémon holding its ground. However, the Blastoise was busy charging up a second Aura Sphere, the Crawdaunt too late to realize what it's foes back-up plan was as it soon given a powerful blast of energy to the face. The poor lobster was sent flying back several feet, crashing into the rock wall as it slid down to the ground and collapsed, a few small rocks falling onto its sturdy shell.

"Ah, Crawdaunt!" Damian called out, quickly running over to check on his injured companion. "Phew, thank goodness you're alright…" He sighed in relief, recalling his Pokémon as the victorious Blastoise made its way back to Natasha.

"How'd you like that?" She called out, an idea soon forming in Damian's mind.

"Not bad, not bad at all. But allow me to even up the playing field." Damian replied, sending out his Luxray. The Gleam Eyes Pokémon let out an intimidating roar, glaring at the Blastoise with its foe glaring back. Soon enough, the Blastoise got on all fours and emitted a sinister aura from the cannons in its shells, striking the Luxray head on though it was able to take the attack. The Luxray stood its ground, cloaking its body in electricity and tackled the Delta Species, electrocuting it before following up with a swift Iron Tail to the head, knocking the Blastoise to the ground as the victorious lion made it's way back to its trainer. "How do YOU like that, Natasha?"

"It's nice to see you acting confident and all that…" Natasha smiled, recalling her fainted Pokémon before quickly making her next selection. "But my Muk shall deal with your Luxray within a few minutes!"

Sending out her next Pokémon, the Delta Muk emerged from its ball and let out a low groan, the large sentient pile of sand rearing up its hand before slamming it down on the rocky floor. The Muk started to expand momentarily before spewing a large ball of mud at the Luxray, who managed to dodge the attack but was struggling to keep its footing on the floor, now slippery due to the wet mud over it. Seeing that its foe was at a disadvantage, the Muk opted to slam its arms down on the ground, creating a sizable tremor that shook up the cave, causing a few stalactites to fall onto the Luxray, striking it on its back as it soon fell to the ground. Wearily getting back up, the Luxray lunged at the Muk, biting down on it with ice-cold fangs as its foes' sandy body was freezing up very quickly. Satisfied with its victory, it made it's way back to Damian once more, only for a quiet cracking sound to put it on edge. Turning around quickly, it saw the Muk break free of its icy prison, the Quicksand Pokémon letting out a low moan as it slammed its fist onto the Luxray's back, the Gleam Eyes Pokémon crashing into the ground as a small blanket of dust emanated from the impact site. When the dust died down, it showed that Luxray was unable to battle.

"Oh my…" Was all Damian could say, quickly recalling his Luxray before pondering on what Pokémon to send out next. As much as he really wanted to use his friend, Shaymin, the risk was just far too great to make it worthwhile. Luckily, he did have a back up option he could use in this situation. "Metang, I choose you!"

The Iron Claw Pokémon emerged from its ball, a metallic groan escaping from its body as it stared down the powerful Muk before it. The Muk let out a low moan, regurgitating another ball of wet mud and hurled it at the Metang, its shiny body now coated with the slippery muck. However, it didn't faze the Metang at all, its right fist glowing a lustrous silver as it punched the Muk in its face, pushing it back several feet as it crashed into the rock wall. A low moan of annoyance gurgled from the Quicksand Pokémon, who quickly rematerialized and reared its head as it slammed its hands down on the ground harshly to create a powerful tremor, with both trainers struggling to maintain their footing. Dozens of stalactites fell from the ceiling, striking both the Metang and the Muk as they were soon buried beneath the rubble, with both trainers quickly running to the rock pile to dig their friends out of it. they sighed in relief a few moments later when they were able to rescue their friends, who were knocked out, but otherwise unharmed.

"Phew…that was scary. Remind me not to use Earthquake in a cave again." Natasha commented, recalling her Pokémon with Damian doing the same.

"I'll make sure you keep to your word." The white-haired boy replied, quickly selecting his last Pokéball for this battle. With a swift toss, the Pokéball fell to the ground, opening up to reveal…Eevee?

"Opting to finish things with your starter, eh? Don't worry, I've got a nice surprise in store for it." The purple-haired girl smiled, throwing her Pokéball and sent out her Larvesta, the vengeful grub eying up the Eevee carefully. "The Eevee before you wasn't the one who hurt you back then, so there's no need to go all out, ok?"

Giving her a small nod of compliance, the Rage Pokémon reared back and fired a barrage of sludge at the Eevee, who nimbly dodged the incoming attacks before tackling the larvae harshly, sending it flying back a few feet. Once it managed to regain its footing, the Larvesta let out a quick huff before disappearing into a wormhole, causing the Evolution Pokémon to halt in its tracks momentarily, surveying the nearby area in search for its opponent. However, it would soon get the surprise of a lifetime as it was struck from the side by the Rage Pokémon, the latter having appeared from a second wormhole, and was pushed back a few feet. Brushing the dust off its shiny fur coat, the Eevee pounced at its foe, its tail glowing a bright silver as it smacked the Larvetsa with it, sending it tumbling a few feet back as the former landed on the ground perfectly. But the Rage Pokémon wasn't done yet, the small larvae channeling all its anger into power as its body began glowing a harsh orange, before lunging at the Eevee. From there, it assaulted it with a barrage of powerful tackles, pushing the small Pokémon all over the place before an especially powerful strike sent it flying towards Damian's feet, with the Larvesta staggering on the spot in confusion.

"E-Eevee!" The young man exclaimed, crouching down and gently scooped up his Pokémon in his arms. "Thank goodness you're alright; I don't know what I would do if the worst had happened."

"Sorry about that; my Larvesta still has some pent-up anger issues from when it was abandoned and takes it out on my opponents Pokémon at times. It's not as ruthless as it was before, so some progress has been made. Hopefully, it would be able to recover from its trauma soon." Natasha apologized, scooping up her Larvesta in her hands. "That said, I'm a little curious why you haven't evolved your Eevee yet. It's not a criticism, but an inquiry."

"Funny story, I was thinking about evolving my Eevee into a Sylveon before the Xavier fight; not the best typing, I know, but it's natural bulk should give me an advantage. But as I was thinking it over, I caught up with another one of my friends from Telnor Town. He told me not to evolve my Eevee just yet, as there's an elderly woman in Helios City who can teach it some powerful moves; moves that when combined with a special item, can awaken its full potential. I don't know what this item is, but the mere thought of it gets my blood pumping!" Damian rambled, his excitement evident in his tone of voice.

"Well we'll have to stop off at Roggan Town to give our friends some rest, before we continue to Helios. Don't worry, it's not too far from here." The purple-haired woman replied, the duo making their way through the small cave. But just as they were about to reach the end, they were soon alerted by the sound of a heated argument up ahead. Making their way to the source, the duo spotted an unnerving sight before them; there were seven cultists surrounding a hiker, the villains sporting multicolored hair ranging from purple to red to royal blue. Their outfits consisted of lavish purple robes with gold trimming, giving them all an atmosphere of nobility. Pausing in their tracks, the duo hid behind some rocks and eavesdropped on the conversation.

"W-Who are you people? Where did you come from?" The hiker inquired nervously, not wanting to pick a fight against them.

"Now, now, there's no need to panic. We're all friends here. Nothing to be afraid of." The woman with the royal blue hair reassured him, the two teens determining her to be the head of this little group.

"What do you cultists want?" The hiker asked inquisitively, eyeing the group up suspiciously.

"A little bird told me that you and your family found something very interesting while mining. How wonderful! I was just thinking about what I could give you in return for it; I'm sure I could offer you a great deal." The head cultist stated, bringing out a small checkbook from her robe. "Name your price."

"Y-You mean that scroll I found? W-We can't just hand it to you; my children found it! It belongs to them and not you!" The older man retorted, with the woman before him sighing in disappointment.

"I see…in that case I'll have to resort to more drastic measures." She replied, putting her checkbook away. "Which do you value more, the scroll or your children's lives?"

"W-What?!" The hiker exclaimed, with a pair of cultists turning him around briefly to reveal that the ladder leading down to his home was surrounded by various explosives.

"See those explosives around the ladder? If you don't give us that scroll, we'll detonate them and trap your family inside. It'll be pretty hard for them to get them out of such a predicament." The head cultist explained to him.

"What do you even need the scroll for, to the point where you're threatening my family?!" The hiker demanded.

"As agents of the Sky Cult, our mission is to summon the almighty Rayquaza. That scroll contains all the details surrounding the ritual required to summon it. with it, we will be able to usher in a perfect utopia." She informed him, staring down the man before her. "Now, have you made your decision?"

"H-Here, take it!" He rambled, quickly handing over the scroll to her. "J-Just leave me and my family alone!"

"Thank you for your generosity. Have a good day!" She smirked at him, watching the older man hastily make his way back down the ladder. "Oh, one more thing…"

Bringing out a small detonator from her robe, she pressed the button, a quick tremor rocking through the cave as the opening was soon caved in by falling debris, trapping the hiker down there. "Now that we've dealt with that loose end, it's time to head to Helios City and use the Augur's energy to summon Rayquaza."

"W-Would Jaern really do such a thing?" A second cultist inquired.

"Oh yes he would. Let's just say that I'm very good at convincing other people to do something for me, especially since he has a few very good reasons why he should help us. Now let us make haste!" The head cultist ordered, with her and her followers quickly exiting the cave, but not before shooting a small glance at the group of rocks the two teens were hiding behind.

"S-She just blew up that man's home; trapping him and his family inside." Natasha whispered, shocked over what she just saw.

"The Sky Cult are no joke; they're often considered to be one of the most ruthless cults out there. We need to warn the Augur about their arrival as soon as possible!" Damian informed her, the duo quickly making their way from behind the rocks and made their way towards the next town as soon as possible.

**Roggan Town**

The duo had arrived at the town in record time, making their way to the Pokémon Center first to heal their injured friends. After all, they would need to be prepared for anything if they were to stand a chance against the Sky Cult. They also informed the local police about what happened in the cave, with the officers informing them that they'll have to make a call to the Helios Police Department for back-up before a rescue effort could be conducted. Natasha told Damian that she was going to explore the town for a while, with her friend promising to call her back once their Pokémon have been healed. Going their separate ways, the purple-haired girl began making her way to the southern part of town, her eyes fixated on the large cave overlooking the area. Approaching closer towards it, her eyes glossed over a sign near the entrance that read '_Battle Frontier – Coming soon!'_

"Huh…how interesting. If I get the time, I'll check it out later…" She mused to herself, turning around to check out the Roggan Game Corner, only for her ears to pick up the sound of fighting within the cave. Looking around to see if she was alone, the purple-haired girl stepped over the sign and stepped inside the cave, only to be met with a most baffling sight. There was a wild Machoke fighting a wild Golett, with the latter looking a lot different than usual. It's body was a mixture of gold and red, with a crest of sorts on its head, making the small Pokémon look as though it was wearing a set of Greek Hoplite armor. But despite the size difference, the Golett was able to go toe-to-toe with the Machoke, delivering a powerful punch that knocked it to the ground.

Following its victory, cheers of victory could be heard from behind it, the Golett turning to see a Plusle and Minun cheering in support. The Plusle had vibrant red wings on its back, its ears a similar shade of red with a small fire on the tips, while the Minun had baby blue wings and its ears appeared to be cold to the touch. It was evident to Natasha that all three Pokémon were Delta Species, who opted to use this cave as their home for the time being. With a sigh of disappointment, the Machoke slowly got back up before making its way out the cave, brushing past Natasha as the three Pokémon turned to face her.

"Hey…how's it going?" She inquired, the Golett starting to chirp and groan at her as she started to understand what it was saying. "Y-You wish to challenge me to a battle? I'm afraid I myself can't do that, but I do have a substitute that would suffice."

"Go-Go!" The Golett accepted, preparing itself for battle as Natasha made her selection, opting to send out her Delta Sunflora. The Sunflora's entire body was made out of a toxic sludge, poison dripping from its leafy hands as its petals were burning fiercely. The combination of fire and poison produced a foul-smelling smoke emanating from behind its head, with the Plusle and Minun covering their noses in disgust. A wave of exhilaration coursed through the Golett, its fists shining brightly as it launched a barrage of punches that were as fast as a speeding bullet. The Sunflora winced in pain as it used its arms to shield its face from the barrage but was able to persevere in the end. Jumping back a few feet, the Burning Sludge Pokémon channeled it's energy to create a ball of red energy, lifting up in the air as it soon exploded, showering the room with a light like that of the scorching hot sun. The Plusle was over the moon with joy over the attack, though the Minun opted to seek some shade beneath a sizable boulder.

The sun however, did not deter the Golett, the Gladiator Pokémon challenging all it's might into its fist and dealt a wicked punch to the Sunflora, pushing it back several feet and kicked up a small amount of dust. With a quick huff, the Sunflora leant forwards and breathed a stream of intense fire from its mouth, the heat from the sun boosting its power. The powerful flames struck the Golett head on, causing it to let out a quick shriek as it was sent flying backwards and crashed on the floor, with the Plusle and Minun quickly running over to check on their friend. With a small smile, the Golett got back up, more than impressed with Sunflora's strength and began chirping at Natasha.

"What's that? You want to know how Sunflora became as strong as it is? If you want, the three of you can come along with me. That way, you can become twice as strong as you were before." She offered, with the three Pokémon chirping amongst one another. Soon enough, they ceased their discussion and chirped happily at Natasha, indicating that they were all more than happy with her proposal. Smiling at them, she bought out three empty Pokéballs and pressed the buttons, capturing the newcomers effortlessly and recalled her Sunflora as well. With that business sorted out, the purple-haired girl made her way out of the cave, opting to check on Damian to see if everything is ready.

**Sorry for the delay in updating; as I mentioned in Rise from the Ashes, I had a bit of a stomach bug that killed my motivation and energy. Now that I'm all better now, I'm more than capable of writing future chapters. Thank you all for your understanding.**

**Acquired Delta Pokémon:**

**D. Ivysaur**

**D. Charmeleon**

**D. Blastoise**

**D. Dugtrio**

**D. Dwebble (Cake) **

**D. Graveler**

**D. Ambipom**

**D. Muk**

**D. Solosis**

**D. Scyther**

**D. Larvesta**

**D. Sunflora**

**D. Gardevoir (female)**

**D. Kirlia (Male)**

**D. Quagsire**

**D. Pichu**

**D. Deino**

**D. Pidgey**

**D. Golett**

**D. Plusle**

**D. Minun**


	11. Chapter 11

**A bit of a short introduction, but I figured I'd start on this chapter as soon as possible. Hope you all enjoy it.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon Insurgence; it is the property of its creators.**

Having made her way back to the Pokémon Center, Natasha soon reunited with Damian, the young man keeping an eye on several Pokéballs. "Ah good, I was just about to give you a call. Our Pokémon are nice and healthy now." He chimed happily at her, handing her balls over as she gratefully accepted them.

"Thank you." She replied, tucking them away. "So, do you have a new lead on where the Sky Cult is heading?"

"Knowing them, they'll most likely make a beeline for the Jade Tower, given that's where Jaern watches over us. However, it'll most likely be locked down, meaning that the front entrance would be a no go." Damian explained to her, an idea forming in the teenage girl's mind.

"Then we'll have to find an alternate entrance to the tower. Perhaps via the sewer system or something?" Natasha proposed, her friend's eyes widening in surprise.

"That's brilliant! I highly doubt the Sky Cult would bother to check there, given how much they prioritize their physical appearance and cleanliness in general." He replied boldly, only to start developing second thoughts. "Then again…it might not be the best idea for us to go that way either."

"Oh? What makes you say that?" The purple-haired girl inquired.

"I've heard rumors of a black-market operating underneath Helios City, offering a variety of services despite their dubious legality. A place like that is bound to attract unsavory people. Then there's also the rumors of a powerful Pokémon roaming the sewers; it can release clouds of poisonous gas that could knock someone out in an instant!" Damian warned her, as thoughts of intrigue soon formed in her mind. What sort of Pokémon was he talking about? Could it be another Delta Species?

"I'll…keep your warning in mind." She reassured him, getting up off the couch and slung her bag over her shoulder. "So shall we get going? Time isn't exactly on our side."

"R-Right!" The white-haired boy called out, quickly getting off the chair and followed his friend out the Pokémon Center. He was extremely nervous over this entire affair but kept it to himself for the most part; after all if the duo's mission to save the Augur succeeds, then he'll finally be able to earn everyone's respect, as opposed to being that kid nobody cares about.

**0000**

The trip to Helios City was surprisingly short, due to how short Routes 6 and 7 were. Route 6 was a bridge of sorts that connected the sandy dunes of the Rezzai Desert and the town beside it, to the lush plains that were situated right before Helios City. The main feature of note was the dried-up lake that was sprawled beneath the long wooden bridge that connected the two areas. Route 7 was even shorter that the previous area, consisting of only a dirt path that zig-zagged a few times before heading straight to the gates of Helios City. A few small ponds were on either side of the route, but asides from that, there was nothing much of value.

However, it was when they began walking on the gold-colored bridge to Helios that the duo could finally see the massive city in all its splendor. Fittingly for the capital of the Torren Region, Helios City was more than twice the size of Suntouched City and had a wide variety of activities that one could engage in. Given its size and how many tourists flock to the metropolis, it made sense for an underground black-market to set up shop here. It'll be quite the task to find the entrance to this marketplace in a city like this, hence why a plan was needed to cover as much ground as possible.

"I reckon we should split up; it'll be easier to find a lead if we can cover more ground." Natasha suggested.

"Fine by me; we can give each other a call in the event that we find a promising lead." Damian agreed, taking a map of the city out of his bag. "I'll cover the left side while you cover the right. Is that alright with you?"

"I can work with that. In the event that either one of us misses our call, we'll meet up by the bridge in half an hour." The purple-haired girl replied, the duo heading off in separate directions as she began to wander the sprawling streets of the city. While walking, her mind began mulling over Damian's newfound sense of vigor; he was slowly evolving from the timid young man to someone who wasn't afraid of standing up for himself. In a way, she was proud of her friend for overcoming such adversity. However, her thoughts of admiration were soon snapped by the sound of something splashing in a nearby fountain. Turning to the source, she found a small Pokémon frolicking happily in the fountain, splashing water everywhere.

The small Pokémon looked like a Lotad, it's body a light grey similar to that of an old man's robe. Additionally, the lily-pad on its head was a deep blue, a wizard's hat stemming out of it as a small yellow star dangled from the top of the hat. The Lotad gazed calmly at her before an idea formed in it's mind. Fishing a small coin out from the fountain, it showed it to the Purple-haired girl before using its power to make the coin disappear.

"Hmmm, where'd it go?" She inquired, a small cry of surprise escaping her mouth as she felt it climbing up her arm and onto her shoulder. Moving towards her ear, Natasha soon felt something cold and wet against her head, the Lotad moving its arm and showed her the coin from before, a small chuckle escaping her mouth as the Magician Pokémon tossed it back in the fountain. "Hahaha, that was a nice trick!"

"Lotad!" It chirped happily, making itself comfortable on her shoulder as she had a hunch on what it was after. Allowing it to stay with her, she continued to make her way through the city, her mind mulling over on just how easy it was for her to befriend Delta Pokémon. At the very least, it was better than having them fall victim to someone who only sees them as a tool to be sold for a lot of money. A few minutes later, she would soon receive a call from Damian, eagerly telling her that he had found something exciting by the entrance to the Helios Department Store. Believing this to be a lead, she quickly hung up and made her way to the store as fast as she could.

When she arrived at the Department Store, she saw her friend talking to an elderly lady on a bench, his Eevee resting comfortable on his lap as she saw the old woman handing something over to him. "T-Thank you so much ma'am!" Damian thanked her.

"No need to thank me; it brings me great joy to see the offspring of my beloved companion in such good health." The old woman smiled at him, noticing Natasha approaching her. "Ah, I take it he's your friend?"

"Yes, he is. What were you two talking about?" She inquired curiously.

"You know the Eevee that Professor Sylvan hands you to new trainers? They're the offspring of her Pokémon that she gives to her. We were just talking about how I've still haven't made a decision on what to evolve my friend into, when she told me that an unevolved Eevee has the capability to unlock a special power." The white-haired boy told her.

"The reason why so few people know about Eevee's Mega-Evolution is because most trainers evolve them before they learn about it true power. I won't tell you the full details about it's mega form, as I want it to be a surprise, but I will say that it can learn several powerful moves used by it's evolutions." The elderly lady replied, a sigh escaping from her mouth. "I'm just thankful you two aren't like those hooligans from before."

"Hmmm? Is everything ok?" Natasha checked up on her.

"Oh, I'm fine, but those teens pose a risk to the city. They kept hollering and shouting over this supposed business they have in the basement of the Department Store. Probably searching for that illusive black-market; I'd stay away from that place if I were you." She told them, the two teens hitting on a juicy lead.

"Unfortunately, we might have to go there. Some shady figures are threatening the people of this city, and we might find a lead on them there." Damian told her.

"I see…in that case I wish you two the best of luck. You'll need it when it comes to a place like the Black Market." The old lady wished them well, the duo waving goodbye at her as the made their way to the department store to investigate the basement.

**Department Store Basement**

Upon arriving at the basement, the duo began investigating the nearby area for something that could aid them in their search. They spent the next fifteen minutes shifting wooden boxes on the floor in the event that something could be hidden under one. And they were on the money; a small grate was hidden beneath a wooden box full of Potions and other healing items, the duo crouching on the floor to get a better look at it.

"Well looks like we found an entrance to the sewers. Maybe we can find the entrance to the black market down there?" Natasha suggested.

"Maybe, but there's still that powerful Pokémon I warned you about before. For all we know, it could've been placed there as a guard of sorts." Damian replied, slowly removing the grate before sliding down the hole, with Natasha following behind. Once their shoes made contact with the grimy floor, the duo brought out their flashlights and began wandering through the cramped tunnels, carefully avoiding the dirty water that coated the already dirty floor. They spent the next twenty minutes traversing the maze of corridors, getting stuck in a few dead ends on the way, until at last they came across what looked like a thin metal ladder leading somewhere.

"This must be the entrance to the black market. Took less time than I expected." The purple-haired girl commented to herself.

"What are we waiting for? Let's get a move o—" The white-haired boy began, taking his first steps on the ladder, only for a low growl to echo through the sewer. Turning to the source, the duo saw a mysterious Pokémon slowly approaching them, it's metallic body shining in the dim light. Green fluid could be seen coursing through its body via the glass stripes that lines its body, a cloud of grey smoke pouring out from its tail. Both of its hands were in the shape of nozzles and had the capability to shoot blasts of toxic liquid at far distances. The closest thing this Pokémon resembled was a Heatmor, however it must be a Delta Species based on its vastly different appearance. "Q-Quickly! Up here!"

"I'll be with you in a moment!" Natasha called out, watching Damian make his way up the ladder. Now on her own, she watched as the Heatmor turned away from her and began licking at the slime and gunk off the walls, no doubt hungry after stalking the duo for who knows how long. "Ah, I see. You weren't after us; you thought we would lead you to a source of food."

"Mooorrrr~…" The Sludge-Eater Pokémon groaned lowly, continuing to eat at the muck on the wall for another minute. By the time it was full, the wall was a lot cleaner than it was before. Noticing the Lotad on her shoulder, it began talking to it in a series of chirps and clicks, with the Lotad talking back to it. After their brief conversation, the Heatmor turned to face the purple-haired woman, a look of intrigue on its face.

"You wish to come with me? To be with your friend?" She inquired, the Delta Species before her giving her a quick nod. "In that case come with me! We're on an important mission now and I'm sure you'll like it!"

Watching her slowly climb up the ladder, the Heatmor transformed its nozzle-hands back to their regular form, enabling it to climb up the ladder after her. After all, it wouldn't say no to getting some fresh air every now and again, and this young lady had managed to win the trust of its dear friend, so it was a win-win situation for them.

**0000**

Upon climbing up the ladder, Natasha was soon taken aback by the sight before her; she had stumbled upon the fabled black-market of Helios City. The place was incredibly dingy, with several buildings littering the place that were covered in grime, dirt and even dried up splashes of blood. Speaking of blood, there were more splashes of it all over the floor, including what looked like a few…dead bodies. This sent a clear message to the teenage girl that this was not a place where one should haggle with the shopkeepers. Still, it wouldn't hurt her to check their wares out, if only for a quick moment. She turned to her new Pokémon, the duo shivering slightly in fear over the oppressive atmosphere.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure nobody takes you away." She reassured the duo, recalling them to their balls before tucking them away in her bag. Their fear of this place was understandable; Delta Pokémon are an especially rare commodity in the black market and would sell for an incredible price.

"N-Natasha!" A familiar voice called out, the teenage girl turning to see Damian walking up to her. "You managed to survive an encounter with the monster!"

"It was no monster, just a wild Pokémon who roams the sewers for food. Don't worry, it's relatively harmless." The purple-haired girl smiled at him, briefly looking around the area. "What isn't harmless is this place; some seriously shady shit goes down in this place and I want no part of it."

"That's not even the worst part; I've heard from someone here that a cult has their hideout located in this market that leads directly to the Jade Tower. I'm confident that it isn't the Sky Cult, but asides from that I have no idea." Damian informed her.

"I'm not surprised one would set up shop near the black market; it grants them easy access to illegal goods and services." Natasha replied, noticing one of the vendors selling something…familiar. It was one of those scrolls that she found back in Koril Cave and that mist-covered island. "I hope you don't mind, but I found something that piqued my interest."

"Y-You can't be serious; this place sells illegal goods!" The white-haired boy exclaimed in shock, watching his friend make her way to the vendor.

"Relax, I'm confident that this won't land us in hot water." She replied, quietly approaching the vendor. "Hello, I would like to inquire you about that scroll you have for sale."

"Well you look younger than my usual customer base, but I'm not one to turn away business." The shopkeeper chuckled, picking up the scroll from the shelf and placed it on the counter. "A mate of mine found this in the sewers back there, locked away in some sort of special rock. I traded my childhood bike for this, so don't expect it to be cheap."

"Fine by me; I'm not afraid of whatever price you're offering." Natasha stated, another chuckle escaping from the older man.

"Hah, I like your attitude. Tell you what, you pay me $5000 for the scroll, and I'll throw in a little bonus for you. Deal?" He offered, the girl mulling it over for a while before making a decision.

"Deal!" She replied, handing over the money to the man as he handed her the scroll and what looked like a large wing made out of metal. "Hmmm? What's this?"

"Not sure myself, but I've heard rumors that the fellows over at PikaTaxi are looking for something like this. I'd hand it to them myself, but as you might expect, I'm sort of a…wanted man in Helios City. Take care, young lady!" The shopkeeper waved goodbye, with Natasha waving back at him as she took her goods and tucked them in her bag, with Damian making his way to her side.

"What was that scroll you bought? How special could it be that you would drop that much money on it?" He whispered to her.

"A scroll that has some connection to Meloetta; one of the fabled Mythical Pokémon. I figured that her power would aid us in the war against the cults." She whispered back to him, the duo soon stumbling upon a small building built into the wall. "I guess this is where we have to go. Let us proceed with caution."

"R-Right." Damian replied, the duo entering the building as they stepped into some sort of underground laboratory. There were wooden boxes strewn all-over the floor, several machines hooked up to the wall and cabinets full of important research notes. Soon enough, one of Natasha's Pokéballs opened up, her Larvesta crawling out of it before making itself comfortable in her hands. Noticing that it wanted some affection, the purple-haired girl opted to pet it gently as they made their way through the base before coming across a familiar scientist minding his own business.

"Let's see here, if we modify the genetic code here, and shuffle the DNA around there…" Taen began, his ears perking up as he turned around and saw the two teenagers approaching him. "Y-You! This place is off limits!"

"What a way to say hello to an old acquaintance…" Natasha retorted sarcastically, with Damian turning to face her, a look of confusion on his face. "Ah, my apologies. The creep before you is Taen; he has no problem assaulting young children in order to achieve his goals."

"And let me guess; you're here to avenge him for what I did? How cute, but I have no time for nonsense like that. Now get out before I—" The blue-haired man seethed.

"Hold on a minute, Taen. We might be able to work something out after all." A familiar voice called out, the duo turning to see Reukra approaching them as Taen gave his boss a quick bow of respect. "I recognize you two; you're the young kids who arrived at Sylvan's lab when I was dropping off those Delta Pokémon. I suppose you're taking care of them now?"

"Y-Yeah, they're all safe and sound away from your hands." Damian replied quickly, choosing to omit the fact that he didn't pick one for himself.

"Good; every Pokémon deserves to go on an—" The well-dressed man began, only to get cut off by a low growling emanating from the duo. Looking closer at them, he saw that the growling came from the Larvesta nestled in Natasha's hands, a look of surprise soon forming on his face. "H-How did you—"

"Recognize this little fella, don't you? I'm not surprised; after all YOU were the one who abandoned it at that decrepit lab." Natasha shot back at the older man.

"Do you realize what you have done; that…thing was meant to be locked up for the safety of everyone in Torren. Your actions could very well doom this entire region!" Reukra scolded her.

"Says the one who experimented on it in the first place. You knew the potential risks of tampering with a Pokemon's DNA, yet you still went through with it anyway. Besides, you still have the original Delta Larvesta with you. As for dooming the whole region…that's not going to happen. The only reason the first one went on a rampage was due to your mistreatment of it; in good hands this little fella won't be hurting anyone, or at least anyone that matters." The purple-haired girl retorted.

"Enough of this! Let's just kill them and—" Taen began, only for Reukra to raise his hand in the air.

"Let me handle this." Reukra told him, turning to face Damian. "You seem to be the more reasonable of the two. Why are you invading my personal headquarters?"

"W-We don't want to interfere with you. We only want to get through to the Jade Tower so that we can save the Augur from the Sky Cult." The white-haired boy replied, a look of intrigue forming on the older man's face.

"Is he in danger? Interesting…" He mused to himself. "Tell me, why should I save that spineless coward? I'm a cult leader; that man's been after me for who knows how long. If anything, I should be helping the Sky Cult bump him off. However, I am willing to strike a deal with you two, for the sake of my research of course."

"Go on…" The purple-haired girl demanded, suspicion clouding her mind.

"I have this project you can help me on; come this way…" Reukra gestured at the teens, who briefly looked at each other before opting to follow him. "Truth be told, we're not really a cult like the others. Don't get me wrong, there are several legendary Pokémon we'd like to get our hands on, but we don't worship them. Our group was founded on a single goal; perfection. A truly perfect Pokémon: one that was undefeatable, unconquerable and flawless in every aspect. One with no counters, no weakness and cannot be bested by any move or strategy. All of our plans have been centered around this vision."

"That's an impossible goal; no Pokémon can ever be considered perfect, as all of them have some weakness one way or another. Even the strongest of legendary Pokémon has one or two weaknesses. Besides, even if you manage to create this perfect Pokémon, what's stopping it from going out of control and devastating the region?" Natasha called out.

"You say that now, but we're made considerable progress to our goal. Delta Pokémon for instance; we figured that certain Pokémon can become stronger with a different type, different moves and different abilities. It worked, but not without consequences as you may know." The well-dressed man countered her argument. "Now we're trying something else; Mega Evolution."

"I've heard about this; it's a technique that empowers a Pokémon greatly should the bond between them and their trainer be at a high enough level. Mega Evolution requires two things; a Mega Ring and the Pokemon's special Mega Stone." Damian answered, with Reukra giving him a slow golf clap.

"Clever lad, someone's been hitting the books." He complimented the young teen. "Despite how common the technique is, scientists still don't understand how it works. We've been creating our own Mega Stones to gain an idea on how it could work, but we've yet to test it. If one of you battles Taen right now, we can analyze how our new Mega Stone works. Then we'll let your through to the Jade Tower."

"In that case, I accept your challenge. I should be able to defeat that creep easily!" Natasha declared, her Larvesta hopping out her arms and chirped loudly at the blue-haired man.

"Heh, this'll be easy. I'll crush that bug in a sec—eh?" Taen sneered, only to be silenced as he saw the Larvesta's body enveloped in a white glow, with Reukra taking a step back as he knew what was happening. It's body began to wrap and grow as it continued to glow, illuminating the dark lab with a wondrous light. Eventually, the glowing stopped, revealing that it had evolved into a Delta Volcarona. It's six black and purple wings flapped idly in the air, the top of its pitch-black body covered in purple fur as it's red eyes gazed at the blue-haired man, the body of the Apocalypse Pokémon enveloped in a purplish-black cloud of toxic gas.

"Taen, I say this to you as your leader, but act carefully around it. this thing…is no joke." Reukra advised caution to his second-in-command.

"It's just a big bug; my Machamp could easily crush this thing in an instant!" The blue-haired man retorted arrogantly, sending out his first Pokémon, as the Machamp flexed at its opponent in confidence. Almost immediately, the Machamp lunged at the Volcarona in an attempt to punch it, only for the latter to disappear in a wormhole at the last minute. This had caught the Superpower Pokémon off-guard, who began to search the nearby area for its opponent. Just a few moments later, the Volcarona emerged from a wormhole behind the Machamp and began flapping its wings quickly, creating a powerful gust that picked it up and sent it flying into a pile of boxes at the other end of the room. "B-But how?! My Machamp was trained specifically to resist Flying-Type attacks."

"There's a reason why I consider Delta Volcarona to be one of the strongest Delta Pokemon known to humanity." The well-dressed man reminded his companion, who growled as he recalled his Pokémon.

"Whatever. If I can't crush it, then perhaps I can burn it instead!" Taen seethed, opting to send out his Pyroar, who let out a quick roar at the large moth before it. Quickly taking to the skies the Volcarona began firing a barrage of sludge at its foe, with the lion nimbly dodging the onslaught before retaliating with a quick Flamethrower. The Apocalypse Pokémon countered with a swift gust of wind, causing the Pyroar to stagger before following up with a powerful Aura Sphere that sent it flying back several feet as it crumpled up onto the floor.

"Taen, the Mega Evolution…" Reukra reminded his subordinate, a growl escaping from his mouth as he recalled his Pyroar.

"Very well, I was hoping to use it anyway. Time for you to get a taste of Mega Stunfisk!" The blue-haired man called out, sending out his third Pokémon before pressing the Keystone on his Mega Ring as the Stunfisk was enveloped in a wondrous light. Soon enough, it broke free from the orb and let out an intimidating groan, it's body drastically different from before. It was now more elongated than before and had a pair of sizable fins near its face, it's yellow tail flapping side-to-side in the air.

"We don't know just how strong it is, so be careful…" Natasha warned her friend, the Volcarona letting out a quiet chip as it eyed up the Mega Pokémon before it. With a quick flick of its fins, the Stunfisk called forth a massive wave of muddy water, soaking the Apocalypse Pokémon with the dirty fluid as electricity crackled from its fins. It then called forth a wickedly powerful bolt of lightning that struck the moth head on, a chip of surprise escaping from its mouth as its body was assaulted by the devastating strike. However, it was able to persevere and break free from the attack, conjuring up a ball of twisted space and hurl it at the Stunfisk, sucking it up into an alternate dimension with the Volcarona slipping into it. Everyone present watched with bated breath, with Reukra keeping an eye on his computer to gain an accurate reading on what was going on, his eyebrows raised in intrigue. A few minutes later, the wormhole opened once more, with Volcarona gently placing the defeated Stunfisk on the floor, with Taen's jaw dropping in shock.

"Bu-bu-bu-but how?! How could my Mega Stunfisk lose to a bug?!" He exclaimed.

"That bug as you call it, has the ability to take unsuspecting Pokémon into it's personal dimension, where it spends a few minutes dishing out wave after wave of powerful attacks until it's enemy is knocked out. Keep in mind, it only uses this technique for foes it deems to be dangerous." Reukra answered, hopping off his computer as his subordinate recalled his Pokémon. "In any case, I must thank you for the data you provided. Here, I'll let you two have your own Mega Rings."

"Wow, really?!" Damian exclaimed, as the older man handed him and Natasha a Mega Ring each. "But what's in it for you? Why give us such a useful item for our adventure?"

"Those rings are connected to our computers; every time you activate it, the data from that battle gets sent to our computers. Don't worry, we're not spying on you if that's what you're worried about." He replied, gesturing towards a flight of stairs at the back of the base. "Those stairs should take you to the basement of the Jade Tower. I suggest you hurry up if you want to save your precious Augur."

"Don't worry, we'll be quick." Natasha replied, as she and Damian turned to walk up the stairs, but not before turning to face Reukra one more time. "Oh, and Reukra? One day, I'll challenge you to a battle. That day, my Volcarona will finally get revenge for what you did to it, and it will be a most memorable day indeed."

"We'll see about that young lady. We'll see about that…" Reukra replied calmly, watching the teens leave the base as he began thinking to himself. There was something about her that he found…interesting; that being how quickly she was able to bond with a Pokémon that, given the circumstances, would be distrustful of humans. Perhaps a bit of research on her background could shed some light on her and the air of mystery she radiated.

**Sorry for the wait, but I got caught up in some other business. The battle at the end may have been a bit of a curb stomp, but I wanted to express just how powerful Delta Volcarona is.** **Thank you all for reading my story, I'll see you in the next chapter.**

**Acquired Delta Pokémon:**

**D. Ivysaur**

**D. Charmeleon**

**D. Blastoise**

**D. Dugtrio**

**D. Dwebble (Cake) **

**D. Graveler**

**D. Ambipom**

**D. Muk**

**D. Solosis**

**D. Scyther**

**D. Volcarona**

**D. Sunflora**

**D. Gardevoir (female)**

**D. Kirlia (Male)**

**D. Quagsire**

**D. Pichu**

**D. Deino**

**D. Pidgey**

**D. Golett**

**D. Plusle**

**D. Minun**

**D. Lotad**

**D. Heatmor**


	12. Chapter 12

**Another short introduction, but this chapter will be a pivotal moment in the story, and will feature a gym battle in it as well, so that's something to look forward to.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon Insurgence; it is the property of its creators.**

Quickly making their way up the various flight of stairs in the Jade Tower, Natasha and Damian were running as quickly as they can, hoping that they weren't too late in saving the Augur from the Sky Cult. However, Natasha was a little slower than her friend, her mind still wondering over Reukra's exact reasoning for handing her an item as powerful as a Mega Ring. Back then, he said that it was to collect data on whatever battle she might get caught up in, but she could tell that there was another reason for his decision. Perhaps he still had faith in the Delta Species as candidates for the perfect Pokémon, hence why he needed more data on them as soon as possible. And what better way to get data on Deltas than gifting a Mega Ring to the one who is an expert on the subject?

"N-Natasha, is everything okay?" Damian inquired, stopping briefly on the fourth flight of stairs.

"Yeah…I was just wondering about Reukra's motives for gifting us these rings. No doubt he has some nefarious purpose in mind with the data he collects." Natasha replied, giving her friend a quick glance. "That said, I'm a little surprised that you were so quick to accept it, given how you scolded Professor Sylvan for accepting the Delta Pokémon he gave her back then."

"Y-Yeah…that was a spur of the moment thing and I feel bad for acting how I did back then, especially since it was how you were able to meet them for the first time." The white-haired boy chuckled lightly. "A-Anyway, we should get a move on. We need to warn the Augur as soon as we can!"

Continuing their journey upstairs, they climbed up another flight of stairs before entering a rather spacious room, with an arena in the center. This is where the Helios City Gym Leader, East, would challenge participants for the Summit Badge. Speaking of which, the man known as East was busy conversing with Jaern himself, the latter sitting atop what looked like a podium of sorts.

"Yes, sir. Everything is ready upstairs, We can—" East began, cutting himself off as he and Jaern saw the two teens approaching them quickly. East himself was a fairly thin man, with short silver hair that reached the back of his neck. His outfit consisted of a black, five-piece suit that was neat and tidy. "Y-You are…?"

"No need to worry, these two aren't our enemies." Jaren reassured his friend, standing atop the podium as he flashed a friendly smile at them. "Well if it isn't Natasha and Damian from Telnor Town, how can I help you today? If it's to challenge the gym, then East would be more than happy to do so."

"N-No sir…we're here because…because we overheard Sky Cultists planning on blackmailing you into summoning Rayquaza!" Damian exclaimed, catching the two older men off-guard as the smile soon dropped from Jaern's face.

"…That is a serious problem. Are you 100% positive about this? Are you totally sure that you heard correctly?" The blonde man pressed them.

"Yes. They also trapped a hiker and his family inside Rezzai Cavern. Neither of us would make up a story like that!" Natasha insisted, as the blonde man began muttering to himself.

"Out of all times to come, of course they'd pick now. I hoped this wouldn't have to happen…but what's done is done." Jaern mumbled, turning to the door behind him. "Come on out, gentlemen."

Suddenly, a small group of Sky Cultists emerged from the door, quickly making their way to the teenagers as they both sported looks of surprise at the Augur. "W-What's going on?! Why are they here?!"

"Damian, Natasha, I'm so sorry about this. The two of you were so youthful and bright, so full of potential. Regardless, you heard what my cultists said, and I can't let you leave with a chance you might connect the dots." The Augur expressed his apologies to them.

"Your cultists…that must mean you're the leader of the Sky Cult!" Natasha deduced, another horrified look forming on Damian's face. "But even if we were to theoretically connect the dots, it would've been useless. Nobody, and I mean nobody would've believed us."

"True, nobody would've believed you with how much the people revere me. But as long as there was that tiny sliver of a chance that they believed you, then you two pose a risk to me and my goals." Jaern rebutted. "But as you deduced, I am the leader of the Sky Cult. I created it several years ago, just before the First Augur disappeared. Initially, we were a small rag-tag band of people who were united by the desire for one thing, change."

"Change? What sort of change were you looking for?" Damian inquired.

"The Augur was the perfect hero of the people, defeating cult after cult alongside his partner, Hoopa. However, there was a flaw that held him back; he was too merciful to the cultists. He was more than forgiving of the cultists who pleaded before him, letting them go unpunished only for them to form new cults or join existing ones, rendering all his efforts pointless." Jaern began his explanation for doing what it is he's doing. "The Augur was strong, but he was too weak to do what was necessary to save he Torren region. So I dealt with him, and made myself his successor. With a new Augur, we could cure the disease plaguing Torren for good. We could save the region forever."

"Y-You'll never get away with this, you monster!" Damian snapped at his former idol.

"But I have, Damian. Thanks to all the propaganda I've circulated, I've got the entire region bowing before me. I need to deal with you so that my true identity can be kept hidden." The blonde man sighed quietly to himself. "I want to catch Rayquaza. Even for a legendary, it's considered to be one of the strongest out there. With it's incredible power and total control over the sky, I can be omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent. I could create a utopia, free of war and crime. But it won't just be Torren that I'll save; I'll save every region in this world, and they'll all revere me for my heroism. Any criminal, any threat to my perfect world will be removed! We've accumulated all that we need to summon Rayquaza; out victory is assured!"

"L-Look, in a way I get what you're going for. Ensuring the swift removal of the cults and any other criminal to establish a utopia sounds like a nice idea. But how can I, or the people of Torren be sure that you won't go mad with power?" Natasha inquired.

"W-What are you talking about?!" Damian exclaimed. "Y-You're actually reasoning with him?"

"You raise a fair point, Natasha. Under normal circumstances, it would be far too easy for someone in my position to go mad with power." Jaern began, swiftly turning to face her. "However, I made myself the Augur of Torren following the removal of the First Augur, and I haven't been seduced by the promise of absolute power. I will ensure the survival of Torren in the midst of this war. I will be the one who disbands the cults that plague this great region. I will be the hero that the First Augur never was! And all we need to succeed is an offering to Rayquaza."

"If I may offer a suggestion, why not get one of them to be the sacrifice?" East proposed. "They're gonna spend the rest of their lives in prison, so why not have offer them up instead of a cultist?"

"That is a very good idea East. Besides, it'll be the perfect way to get revenge on Natasha for what she's done to me." Jaern smirked at the proposal.

"W-What? What has Natasha done to you to warrant such thing?! She helped save you from those cultists back in Telnor Town!" Damian inquired.

"She won't remember; all her memories are gone. Besides, that Delta Call of hers would be another nice offering to me; I wouldn't say no to another source of power to help me achieve my dream." The blonde man replied quickly. "However, I'm feeling especially generous today. Natasha will be fighting East in a battle, with the loser being sacrificed to Rayquaza."

"S-Sir?! Why are you risking my life instead of a grunt?" The well-dressed man inquired, fear evident in his tone of voice.

"You're a Gym Leader, East. You stand a batter chance at defeating her than Natasha does. Besides, it was your idea to offer them up as a sacrifice in place of the grunts." Jaern rebutted his protests.

"…as you say. Please don't take this personally, but it's for the Torren Region." East apologized to the purple-haired girl, taking a Pokéball from his belt and sent out a Skarmory with Natasha sending out her Sunflora.

"Let's see how you like this; Flamethrower, Sunflora!" Natasha called out, with the Burning Sludge Pokémon letting out a determined cry as they spewed a stream of fire from their mouth, striking the Skarmory head on as it was pushed back several feet. An annoyed cry escaping from the bird's mouth, it flew up into the air and conjured up a series of sharp blades of wind, striking the Sunflora and caused it to fall onto its back. The Skarmory swooped down on it's opponent in an attempt to finish it off, only for the Burning Sludge Pokémon to roll out of the way and launch a second Flamethrower at it, the metallic bird squawking in pain as it crash-landed outside the arena, catching the cultists off-guard.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk…sloppy start, East." Jaern scolded his sub-ordinate, who promptly returned his fainted Pokémon.

"N-Not to worry, I can still pull this off, sir…" The well-dressed man stammered, taking out a Pokéball and sent out his Kingdra, the large seahorse gazing calmly at its opponent. Choosing to act cautiously, the Sunflora opted to think of devious strategies it could employ, bolstering it's mental power greatly. However that brief pause as all the Kingdra needed, the seahorse rearing back and blasted a powerful jet of water at its foe, who was promptly sent flying back several feet, crashing into the nearby wall as Natasha winced in pain for her friend.

"S-Sunflora!" She called out, quickly running over to where her teammate was lying, a sigh of relief escaping her mouth upon seeing that it incurred no serious injuries. "Don't worry, you'll be safe and sound inside your ball."

Promptly recalling it, she made her way back to the arena, selecting her next companion as she threw her Pokeball, sending out her Gardevoir, who promptly gave a quick bow to the enemy Kingdra. Gazing calmly at her foe, the Gardevoir collected her thoughts, disposing any that were unpleasant in order to bolster her mental capabilities. The Kingdra, brimming with overconfidence, charged up another blast of water and fired it at her, only for the Nuzzle Pokémon to dodge to the side. The Gardevoir then fired a weak bolt of electricity at the Kingdra, temporarily paralyzing it and left it vulnerable to a follow up attack, which she was more than happy to dish out. Channeling her inner power, she quickly conjured a chilling wind that quickly froze the Kingdra, dealing massive damage to it and froze the seahorse on the spot.

Shocked at what he was seeing, East quickly recalled his Kingdra before opting to send out his Talonflame, hoping that it's intense Fire-type attacks would finish off his opponent quickly. Taking to the skies, the large bird cloaked it's body in intense flames, swooping down at the Gardevoir and struck her head on, sending her flying back a few feet but was able to land on her feet. Static electricity soon forming on her arms, the Nuzzle Pokémon fired a wicked bolt of lightning at the Scorching Pokémon, landing a direct hit as it squawked loudly in pain. Hoping to finish her off with its next attack, the Talonflame flew up into the air, it's body cloaked in fire once more as it swooped down quickly at the Gardevoir, who was charging up a ball of electricity between her hands. Mere seconds later, the two Pokémon crashed into each other, creating a large cloud of smoke that blanketed the entire arena, causing everyone to cover their faces. Around a minute later, when the smoke was finally starting to die down, everyone saw that the resulting explosion had knocked out both Gardevoir and the Talonflame.

'_T-This is such a close battle; especially since the stakes are so high. Natasha…please, do not lose this battle.'_ Damian pleaded in his mind, watching the two trainers recall their Pokémon.

"Hah…not bad. Not bad at all for a gym leader who opted to side with a cult. But if you think this is over, then you're dead wrong!" Natasha shot back,sending out her Scyther as East sent out his Noivern, the purple-haired girl expecting that he would have something to deal with Ice type Pokémon.

And her expectations were met as the Noivern quickly took to the skies and charged up a ball of pure, mental energy with its wings, firing the Focus Blast at the Ice Cleaver Pokémon at high speeds. But the Delta Scyther had a plan; it dodged the attack at the last moment, using the resulting explosion to boost it's leap more than usual and lunged at the Sound Wave Pokémon, slashing at it with its sharp sickles, causing it to fly back a meter or two. The Noivern was able to regain its composure and flew towards its foe, smacking it down to the ground with its wings as the Scyther crash-landed into the arena. However, it was able to pick itself up off the ground and began conjuring a series of icicles with its power, aiming them at the Sound Wave Pokémon and hurled them, the sharp chunks of ice striking the Noivern and sent it hurtling towards the ground, crashing into it like Scyther had, although it wasn't able to get back up.

Rendered speechless by what he just saw, the well-dressed man recalled his unconscious Pokémon and opted to send out a Gliscor, the flying scorpion letting out a determined hiss as it flew up into the air. The Gliscor proceeded to conjure up a series of rocks before hurling them at the Scyther, the Ice Cleaver Pokémon managing to dodge the incoming barrage and delivered a quick slash to its opponent, causing it to stagger in the air. However, the Fang Scorp Pokémon retaliated with a quick jab from its tail, pushing the Scyther back as a faint purple hue soon appeared on its face. Feeling the poison course through its veins slowly and painfully, the Scyther knew that it had to finish its foe off quickly, quickly leaping into the air to strike at its foe with its sharp sickles. But just as it had landed its attack, the Ice Cleaver Pokémon felt something around it's neck, it's eyes looking down and saw one of Gliscor's pincers holding its neck firmly. Holding onto it's foe firmly, the Scyther braced itself as both Pokémon were hurtling towards the ground, crashing into it as another blanket of smoke permeated the area. When it died down, it showed that both Pokémon had fainted, the Gliscor having gone for a last-ditch Guillotine.

"T-This can't be happening…" East muttered to himself, a look of fear growing on his face as both trainers recalled their Pokémon. Somehow, he went from being confident in his victory, to being down to his last Pokémon, all while his foe still had three battle capable Pokémon at her disposal. Praying to himself for a swift victory, he promptly sent out his Altaria, pressing a small stone on his cane as his companion was quickly enveloped in a multi-colored orb. The orb soon shattered a few moments later, with Altaria having evolved into its Mega Form as it flapped its wings in the air.

"This might be a bit tricky, but I've got the perfect friend for the job. Venusaur, I choose you!" Natasha declared, sending out her Pokémon as the Sky Cultists stepped back in surprise. The Venusaur's thick body was a lovely pink hue, with small flowers sprouting from the large blue leaves on its back. There were a few large amethyst crystals growing out of its back, as well as one in the center of its forehead.

Gazing calmly at the Altaria, the Venusaur began to collect her thoughts, bolstering her mental energy to prepare for the upcoming battle, with Altaria fluffing up its cloudy wings to greatly increase its physical defense. The Humming Pokémon channeled its newly found fae power to create a large glowing ball of pink energy, hurling it at the Venusaur and landed a direct hit. However, the latter was able to tank the attack due to her impressive bulk, the crystal on her forehead as a beam of psychic energy struck the Altaria head on, causing the fluffy bird to stagger in the air. Seizing this opportunity to finish it's foe off, the Venusaur collected as much fae energy as it could, including the residue from Altaria's earlier attack and gathered it into a large ball of energy. It fired the attack at the Humming Pokémon, who was caught off-guard as the attack created a large explosion within the room as everyone tried their hardest to stand their ground. When the dust settled, it showed Altaria struggling to stay in the air, the Humming Pokemon falling to the ground as a look of defeat formed on East's face.

"I lost…? I don't believe it…" He asked, recalling his Altaria before turning to face his leader. "P-Please…"

"I'm sorry East, but I made a promise at the start of the battle. As much as I want to save you, a good leader always keeps his promise. Farewell, my friend. Take comfort in the fact that your sacrifice will save this region." Jaern shot a look of sadness at his ally, with East's body getting enveloped in an emerald green light before transforming into a small orb, with the Augur hopping off his podium to retrieve the orb. "In my mind, I see a region filled with love. It seems almost unachievable, but thanks to this sacrifice, it will become a reality. If you so desire, you may see the birth of a new Torren, but if you try to stop me, I will kill you."

Upon saying that, he promptly got off the arena and made his way to the back door, with Damian quickly running up to Natasha as the cultists were left dumbstruck by what they had just saw. "N-Natasha! I-I'm so glad you're safe. I-If you had lost…I…I…" The white-haired boy began to stammer, only for the purple-haired girl to rest her hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry, everything's going to be fine." She reassured him, turning to where Jaern had gone through. "I'm going to follow that madman; I want to know what sort of grudge he has against me."

"B-Be careful then. I'll be with you as soon as I can." Damian told her, with Natasha recalling her Venusaur before following the Augur through the door, up a final flight of stairs and onto the rooftop of the Jade Tower. The view she had of the city was spectacular, a most pleasing sight that she could sit back and enjoy for an hour or two. However, now was not the time to be standing around to enjoy the view; she had a treacherous Augur to confront. Making her way across the rooftop, she saw the blonde man gazing upon a large crystal that floated above the ground, the latter turning briefly to gaze at her.

"It's a beautiful crystal, isn't it?" Jaern asked her, turning to face the crystal once more. "Nobody knows where it came from, but the First Augur had it in his possession during his crusade. Even after a year of research and experimentation, I still have no answer on what exactly it is. But I do know what this crystal is capable of."

"So I take it that it's a key part of the ritual to summon Rayquaza?" Natasha inquired, a quiet chuckle escaping from her enemy.

"No, not quite. But it is a key part of my plan to save this region. Allow me to explain it to you…" The blonde man began, looking over the region. "You know about Pokémon moves, right? How each one is powered up by the beings' internal power and can only be used a certain amount of times? Well this crystal greatly boosts the Pokemon's internal power and enables them to use their moves as many times as they want. The First Augur was able to use this crystal to power up his Pokémon, defeating cult after cult and protected the region. And if this crystal can boost the power of his Pokémon to astronomical levels, then imagine what it can do to a being like Rayquaza."

Gazing fervently at the crystal, he offered up the green orb in his hand to the skies above. "Rayquaza, here my call! I offer you the soul of my loyal friend East to summon you to my side! Come forth, oh mighty herald of the skies; with your power and my intelligence, we will save this region from those who seek to destroy it!"

The orb slowly floated up into the air, glowing fervently as it expanded greatly before disappearing into nothing. Just a few seconds later, an almighty roar echoed throughout the area, a look of pure glee forming on Jaern's face as he saw the almighty Rayquaza descend to the rooftop, the powerful dragon gazing quietly at the duo.

"At long last…we are united. Together, the world can be ours…you will be the one who punishes the unworthy, ushering in a utopia for all to enjoy! Concepts such as crime, hatred, war and revolution will cease to exist. Only a perfect, peaceful society…and I will be its king!" He rambled, turning around and shot a small glare at Natasha. "And as for you, I'm gonna do something that I should've done in Telnor Town when I had the chance. You are easily the biggest threat to my dream and I must dispose of you; letting you go will be a mistake."

"But what HAVE I done to warrant your anger?! For someone who goes on about creating a fair society, you sure have no problem persecuting me for something I have no memory of doing." The purple-haired girl retorted.

"You remembered your name! And if you can remember that, then it won't be long before you remember everything else. And should you remember the events of that day, all of my dreams will be crushed!" He yelled at her. "There's no room in MY perfect world for any insurgent who opposes me! I will kill you and claim your power for myself; Rayquaza, it's time to Mega Evolve!"

Stepping back in fear, Natasha watched Rayquaza's glowing brightly, it's body morphing quickly as it soon evolved into it's most powerful form, the almighty dragon roaring at her. Quickly making up her mind, the purple-haired girl sent out her Crustle, the crab chittering happily as it stared at the powerful dragon before it. It's shell was now a massive cake, with a small fork sticking out of it as a pleasant aroma wafted from it. Bracing itself, the Crustle leapt up into the air and crash-landed on the Mega Rayquaza, the massive dragon letting out a roar of surprise as it fell onto the rooftop. Shaking its foe off it's body, the Rayquaza flew back and opened it's wide maw, charging up a powerful blast of draconic energy and fired it at the Crustle, only for the crab to brush the attack off as if it were nothing.

"Wh-What is this?!" Jaern exclaimed, baffled that his Pokemon's attack didn't do anything.

"For such a high and mighty Augur, you really need to brush up on your type matchups." Natasha smirked confidently, infuriating the blonde man.

"Y-You just got lucky; being born with your Delta Call! Had you simply joined my side, this wouldn't have to happen." He shot back.

"Well I would if you weren't hellbent on killing me for something I don't even remember doing. What happened that day that has you terrified of me?" She inquired desperately.

"I-I won't tell you! If I do, you'll be able to piece the puzzle together and ruin me! I will not let that happen!" Jaern knocked her request back.

"In that case, I'll just beat the answer out of you. Crustle, go for Shell Smash before following up with Play Rough!" The purple-haired girl called out, with the Crustle taking the fork and began eating a few small chunks of cake off it's back, relishing in the delicious dessert it was eating. Putting the fork back in, it quickly scuttled towards the Rayquaza, leaping into the air and assaulted it with a barrage of attacks, causing the Sky High Pokémon to crash into the rooftop once more.

"R-Rayquaza; come to me! The crystal shall give you the ability to crush that pitiful Fairy type!" The Augur called out, with the weakened dragon slowly flying towards it. But before it could touch it, a beam of chillingly cold energy struck the dragon, freezing it solid as Jaern watched in horror. "Bu-But how?! Who's responsible for this?!"

"Ask and you shall receive." A familiar voice called out, the duo turning to see Damian approaching them, with his Shaymin in tow. "This next one is for your lies to the Torren Region, and for trying to kill my friend. Shaymin, use Seed Flare!"

Letting out a quick chirp, the Shaymin quickly waddled towards the large crystal, collecting the polluted air around it before releasing a powerful blast of energy that shattered the crystal into three pieces, with Jaern watching in horror as they were sent flying all-over the place.

"T-The crystal! Do you have any idea what you've done, you stupid child?! You broke a limitless source of energy and sent the pieces all over the region, enabling the other cults to try and claim it!" The blonde man scolded the white-haired boy.

"Better it be in nobody's hands than in your hand's Jaern. I demand that you start giving me the answers to my questions, right now!" Natasha yelled at him, only for an ominous chuckle to escape from his mouth.

"Natasha, Damian. You two have made a powerful enemy today. I will see to it that you will both feel the sting of my wrath!" He threatened them, with his Rayquaza flying back up to him before hopping onto it, the duo soon flying off as the duo watched him go.

"I can't believe he was a traitor all along…H-He was my hero…but I guess that was all just a lie." Damian spoke quietly, sniffling to himself as a few small tears fell down his cheeks. Natasha pitied the young teen; he had just found out that the person he looked up to was a deceitful villain who was only interested in ruling over the entire world. Resting her hand on his shoulder, she offered whatever comfort she could give him.

"There, there…it'll be alright. For now, we should tell Nora about this and see what sort of plan she comes up with. The three of us will be the ones who saves Torren from the cults, not that glorified phony." She told him.

"Y-Yeah…we can do it. we have powerful Mythical Pokémon by our side. Not to mention that special gift you have. By the way, I found this on the ground where East was. I think you should have it…" Damian's mood perked up, handing his friend a badge that looked like a royal blue wing covered by a blanket of white clouds.

"Thank you." Natasha smiled at him, putting the badge on her trainer card. "I'm heading over to the Pokémon Center to rest my friends. I've heard there's a library in Utira Town; sounds like the sort of place Nora would be. I'll meet you there once I've finished my business here."

"Got it! If she is there, I'll help her out anyway I can." The white-haired boy smiled, the duo making their way back down the stairs in order to prepare for the next part of their journey.

**Another nice chapter done and dusted; the next one will have a couple of captures and a twist on the upcoming rival battle in Utira Town, so that'll be something to look forward to. Thank you all for reading and supporting my story, I'll see you in the next chapter.**

**Acquired Delta Pokémon:**

**D. Venusaur**

**D. Charmeleon**

**D. Blastoise**

**D. Dugtrio**

**D. Crustle (Cake) **

**D. Graveler**

**D. Ambipom**

**D. Muk**

**D. Solosis**

**D. Scyther**

**D. Volcarona**

**D. Sunflora**

**D. Gardevoir (female)**

**D. Kirlia (Male)**

**D. Quagsire**

**D. Pichu**

**D. Deino**

**D. Pidgey**

**D. Golett**

**D. Plusle**

**D. Minun**

**D. Lotad**

**D. Heatmor**


	13. Chapter 13

**Welcome to the next chapter of the Delta Whisperer; there's plenty of content for you all to enjoy in this chapter, as it'll delve deeper into the prophecy about the hero who will rise up and defeat the cults plaguing the region.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon Insurgence; it is the property of its creators.**

The crystal that had once been used by the First Augur to power up his Pokémon was now shattered into three pieces, pieces that were sent flying in different directions. Jaern and his Rayquaza managed to find the first piece, a quiet sigh escaping from his mouth knowing that at least one of the pieces was "safe" in his hands. Elsewhere, a low-ranking grunt was walking alongside the cliffs of Miara Town when he saw another piece of the crystal. Picking it up, he smirked to himself, knowing that handing this thing over would garner him a handsome reward from the head of the Abyssal Cult, Audrey. Finally, in Helios City itself, Reukra was quietly walking in front of the Jade Tower when he saw the third piece of the crystal. A look of curiosity on his face, he picked it up and tucked it in his Pokémon, knowing all too well that it'll be a major boon to his experiments.

**0000**

Back at the Pokémon Center, Natasha had just finished healing up her Pokémon, accepting them back gratefully as a few thoughts were coursing through her mind, and none of them good. The main thought was that Jaern, the much celebrated Second Augur was actually the head of the nefarious Sky Cult, and she was one of the only people who knew that fact. Of course, she couldn't tell anyone about it as that would essentially be her death sentence with how much the public reveres him. Equally as worrying was the fact that Jaern had a bone to pick with her, yet she had no idea what she had done to earn his ire, not that he would tell her anyway. For now, all she could do was work together with her friends to save the region from the cults plaguing it. But it was at this moment when the Television behind the desk began broadcasting a breaking news story.

"_We are live with an exclusive interview from a Hiker who was recently rescued from the Rezzai Cavern." _The reporter began, turning to face the terrified, yet relieved man that Natasha was able to recognize. It was the man who was accosted by those grunts from the Sky Cult.

"_Th-Thanks for having me on, ma'am. Y'see. My family and I were mining in this cave for some rare artifacts, when we found this funny old scroll. Turns out those wicked Sky Cultists wanted it and threatened us for it."_ The hiker began recalling the events of that day.

"_I'm sure that must've been very scary for you and your family." _The reporter offered her condolences.

"_Oh, it was, ma'am. But our very own Augur found us, telling us that everything would be OK. He lifted me and my family out of that cave-in with the power of Rayquaza itself; Rayquaza! The legendary Pokémon of the skies. I just know that the Augur would use Rayquaza to give those heinous Sky Cultists a taste of their own medicine; I will not hear or believe any word against that fantastic man!" _The Hiker stated adamantly.

"He's so amazing…isn't he?" The local nurse sighed to herself, no doubt having a daydream involving the Augur.

"Y-Yeah, he is pretty great…" Natasha stammered, not wanting to look suspicious. While she was relieved that the man and his family were safe and sound, a part of her felt that Jaern only rescued him as a means of stroking his over-inflated, yet fragile ego. "Anyway, I'm off to Utira Town. I figured I'd check out the library while I'm up and about."

"Good for you; the library's a wonderful source of information for any upcoming trainer to use on their journey. I wish you the best of luck!" The nurse smiled at her, with the purple-haired girl giving her a quick nod of appreciation before exiting the building. Taking a quick look on her CyberNav, she saw that she had to go through the small cave to the southwest of the city before arriving at her destination. Readjusting her bag, Natasha quietly made her way to the cave, only to get distracted by the sound of rapidly approaching chirping from above. Looking at the skies, she saw what looked like a pair of Pokémon bickering amongst each other before landing a few feet away from her, the two of them pointing in varying directions.

The first Pokémon looked similar to an Emolga but lacked the wings of its kind. Its furry body was a mixture of black and red, it's large fluffy tail sporting black and red stripes. Its face had vivid red cheeks and sported a cute little smile despite the bickering it was engaging in with its friend. Speaking of its friend, it seemed to be a Drifblim that took on the form of a red hot-air balloon, the basket brimming with flames that provided a comfortable resting spot for any Fire type Pokémon. It was easy to see that both these Pokémon were Delta Species, but what they were fighting about was a complete mystery to her.

"Hey, there, what's causing you two so much trouble." Natasha inquired, causing the two Pokémon to cease their bickering as they pondered upon her words. Eventually, the Emolga got the courage to answer her questing, chirping at her a few times as the purple-haired girl got the gist of the message. "Ah, I see. You two wish to see your friend in Utira Town. Luckily for you, I'm heading there myself. If you want, you can follow me to your destination." She offered to them.

The Emolga scurried back to the Drifblim and began a discussion regarding the teenage girls' kind offer. Sure, it could very well be a devious trap, but the Emolga sensed no malevolence or ill intent from her. Opting to put their faith in her, the two Fire types turned to her and let out a quick chirp, indicating that they were willing to accept her offer.

"Very well, I'll lead the way. Just stick close to me, otherwise you could get lost inside the cave." She informed them, making her way towards the cave with the two Delta Pokémon following right behind her.

**Utira Town**

Although it took an hour or so to get there, the trio had finally arrived at the small but bustling town, no thanks to the Cave of Steam they traversed through. While the cave was rather short, it was filled to the brim with steam that made walking through it an absolute chore. For a while, they would go in one direction, thinking it was the right way to go, only to wind up at a dead end. However, they persevered through that little annoyance and arrived at their destination without so much as a scratch.

"See? I told you that I'd get you there safely." Natasha reassured the two Delta Species that traveled with her on this quick trip. "However, you'll have to show me where your friend is, as this is my first time at the library."

Nodding in agreement, the Emolga and Drifblim gestured the purple-haired girl to follow them to the library, only for the trio to get halted by a pair of voices coming out of the library.

"—I told Natasha that we'd be here, but she still hasn't arrived. Did she simply get lost on the way?"

"Well when you consider just how dim the Cave of Steam is, that is a—" They spoke to each other, exiting the vast building as she saw that it was Damian and Nora talking to each other. "We were just speaking about you Natasha. It's good that you were able to come here!"

"Nora, Damian! It's a relief to see that you're both alright!" The purple-haired girl smiled in relief, turning to face the young teen. "Damian, does she know about what happened at the Jade Tower?"

"Y-Yeah, I told her about it. but not too loudly though; there are paintings of the Augur all over the place. I swear they're eyes were watching us the entire time." Damian commented.

"I'm still a little shaken up about what I just heard. Not only was Jaern the leader of the Sky Cult, but he was able to summon Rayquaza to his side. However, that just means that we'll have to work even harder to save the region from the cults." Nora spoke quietly, looking briefly to her side. "Remember when I told you about the prophecy surrounding the Mythical Pokémon? I've got a gut feeling that we might learn more about that prophecy in the library, given the vast assortment of knowledge it contains. Damian and I have been skimming through the shelves, trying to find information and we would greatly appreciate your help."

"But first, the both of us want a battle with you. We've been arguing over who gets to battle you first, and we haven't arrived at a reasonable answer yet." The white-haired boy began, shooting a glance at Natasha. "So, Natasha. Who do you want to battle first?"

"Rather than leave one of you two out, I figured you can team up against me. I'll use four Pokémon, while you get to use two each. After all, we can't spend too much time here or else we'll look suspicious." She proposed.

"Yeah…I can get behind that. Like before, we won't use our legends for the sake of keeping our secret safe, but the both of us have Mega Pokémon we're more than willing to try out." The green-haired girl chimed in, taking a quick look at the Emolga and Drifblim hovering beside her side. "By the way, are those your latest captures?"

"N-No, I just escorted them to the library as that's where their friend resides." Natasha answered, turning to face her newest friends. "Do you two want to watch the battle? I'm sure you'll both enjoy it."

Glancing at each other momentarily, the duo agreed to watch the purple-haired girl battle against her friends, opting to take a seat on a nearby bench. Getting into positions, the three trainers selected their first Pokémon, with Nora and Damian sending out a Leavanny and Crawdaunt respectively. Natasha on the other hand, opted to try out two of her recently evolved Delta Species, those being her Charizard and her Gallade. The Charizard took on an even more ethereal form, with it's bones now a pitch black as a purple flame burned within its stomach. It had bony wings sprouting from its back, a ghostly flame acting at the membrane to ensure that it could take to the skies. The Gallade on the other hand, was now a mixture of blue and yellow like its sibling, it's icy blades crackling with static electricity.

"Shall we begin?" The purple-haired girl chimed in, her two Delta Species going into action as she opted to seize the advantage while she could. The Gallade lunged at the Leavanny, knocking its razor leaves aside as the duo got into a sword-fighting competition of sorts, striking each other with Leaf Blades to see who will reign supreme. Meanwhile, the Charizard took to the skies, dodging blasts of water streaming from the Crawdaunts' claws as it conjured up a ball of eerie energy and flung it at the vicious lobster, pushing it back a few feet and fell over on its side. Slowly picking itself back up, the Crawdaunt cloaked its body in water, leaping up into the air and lunged at the Charizard at incredible speeds before tackling it, the Skeleton Pokémon getting pushed back in the air but was able to recover. Taking in a deep breath, the Charizard breathed a stream of draconic fire at the lobster, sending it hurtling towards the Leavanny. The Gallade took this opportunity to leap into the air, it's blades cloaked in electricity as it swung down on the Crawdaunt, sending it flying into the Leavanny and created a large explosion, catching the trainers off-guard. When the dust died down, it showed that both Pokémon were unable to continue battling.

"Woah…talk about amazing." Damian commented, the two trainers recalling their Pokémon as the Emolga and Drifblim watched in awe. "Now it's time for things to get serious; are you prepared to fight two Mega Evolutions at the same time?"

Upon his word, both he and Nora sent out their Eevee and Flygon respectively, the two trainers pressing on their keystones as both Pokémon were enveloped in a multi-colored orb of light. The orbs glowed for a few moments before shattered, revealing the two Pokémon in their new forms. The Eevee's fur was thicker and fluffier than before, a series of eight small orbs surrounding its head and chest as each one shone a different color. The Flygon on the other hand became more insect-like upon evolving, its wings and tail a lot more jagged as its slender body grew accustomed to its new power.

"I've been wanting to do that for some time now, and I'm more than willing to show you just how strong my Mega Evolution is. Go for Ancient Roar, Flygon!" Nora called out, her Flygon bracing itself as it let out a deep, guttural roar at the two Delta Pokémon, it's wings buzzing quickly to amplify the noise. The Charizard and Gallade winced in pain, covering their ears to block out the loud noise. This gave the Eevee a chance to attack, it's body morphing into an Espeon as it assaulted the duo with a powerful blast of psychic energy. However, the two Delta's were not ready to throw in the towel just yet; the Charizard taking to the skies and let out a loud roar as clouds of darkness emanated from its body and blocked out the sun, blanketing the immediate area in darkness. It then followed up by creating a pair of Shadow Balls, the attacks' power boosted by the oppressive darkness and flung them at the Flygon, striking it head on. Meanwhile, the Gallade lunged at the Eevee, who had morphed into a Flareon and breathed a stream of fire at its foe, the Swordmaster Pokémon dodging the attack before striking at it with a series of blows that sent it flying towards the Flygon. With a final flick of its wrists, the Gallade conjured up a series of sharp icicles and flung them at the duo, striking them head on as they crumpled on the floor before their trainers feet, devolving back to their normal forms as both Nora and Damian were caught off-guard by the surprise victory.

"I-I knew you were good, but to sweep us that easily?! I guess you really are the strongest out of us…" Nora chuckled lightly.

"Well it's not me who's fighting out there, but my Pokémon. If anything, they're the ones who deserve your praise." Natasha smiled, her two Pokémon standing proud and tall before their trainer, the purple-haired girl praising them for their efforts before recalling them. "Anyway, let's head inside. We should resume our search as soon as possible."

"Y-Yeah, that's a good idea." Damian replied, the trio making their way into the library with the two Delta Pokémon following behind them.

**0000**

The Utira Library was as grand as one would expect it to be, the massive building being several stories tall and sported several wings. As one would expect, there was an unmatched variety of books covering all sorts of different topics, ranging from ancient languages, to various battle strategies, to tales of various exploits from the best trainers of them all. The three trainers went off in separate directions in order to cover more ground, with Natasha making her way to the front desk in the hopes of gaining some insight from the librarian.

"Welcome to the Utira Town library. I'm Zachary, the head librarian here." The man introduced himself, looking to be in his late 50's at most. What stood out the most was his vivid purple hair done up in a cowlick of sorts, the color matching that of Natasha's hair. "Is there anything in particular you're looking for?"

"Hey there, I was wondering if you knew where the books regarding ancient folklore and prophecies were being kept." Natasha inquired, the older man raising an eyebrow at her question.

"Well I do recall seeing some books like that in the westernmost wing of the library. Do be careful though; I've heard what sounds like something skittering underneath the floorboards." Zachary informed her, the purple-haired girl bowing in appreciation as she made her way to her destination, with the two Delta Pokémon following right behind her as the man's simple interest turned into full-blown curiosity.

Making her way to the westernmost room, Natasha began to quietly search among the various books for anything that could relate to the prophecy, or even the Delta Call she was blessed with. It was during her search that she found a small book meant for containing a variety of leaves, the purple-haired girl picking it up and saw a small note fall out of it. Reading the note to herself, she saw that it was from a former member of the Perfection Cult, who grew disgusted with their inhumane practices and defected from their cult with their latest experiment, a Delta Munchlax. The note stated that the Munchlax was hidden in a safe place on Route 8 with sufficient food supplies but pleads with the reader to find it and give it a loving home. While she was reading the note to herself, the Emolga and Drifblim made their way to the other side of the shelf, the former pulling on a thick black book as the room began to quiver.

"W-What the?!" Natasha began, stepping back in surprise as she saw a portion of the shelf disappear into the ground, revealing a hidden entrance that lead to some underground chamber. Gesturing her to follow them, the two Deltas stepped beyond the doorway and into the darkness, the purple-haired girl following them inside as they wound up in a room with a lone occupant. The occupant was a Roserade, but it looked a lot different from a normal Roserade. It's flower bouquets now resembled the fans of a dancer, it's body was a mixture of black and pink as its leafy body now resembled that of a billowing dress. Additionally, it's mask was now a vivid pink instead of its usual green. It was as the purple-haired girl had expected; their friend was another Delta Pokémon. "H-Hey there, it's nice to meet you."

"R-Rose…?" The Roserade inquired, looking at its friends to see if the girl could be trusted. Based on the calm smiles they sported, the Night Bouquet Pokémon determined that the girl could be trusted. "Rose! Rose!" it chirped happily back at her, a light chuckle escaping from Natasha's mouth.

"I'm just glad that your three are safe an—" She began, only to get a text message from Damian. Picking up her device, she read the message quickly before pocketing it again. "S-Sorry, but I've got to check up on my friends. Will you three be alright?"

"Drif…" The Drifblim replied, with the Emolga and Roserade chirping in response as well. Knowing that the three of them will be safe and sound here, the purple-haired girl exited the hidden chamber and made her way to the other side of the library, where she saw Damian and Nora waiting beside a locked door.

"We found something interesting, Natasha. An entire wing, abandoned and locked up for some reason. Who knows what could be hidden inside?" Damian commented, gazing fervently at the door. It could even hold the prophecy!"

"Oh, are you three interested in exploring the abandoned wing?" A voice called out, the trio turning to see Zachary approaching them.

"Y-Yes; there's an old book in there that we want to look at, sir. See, we're trying to take down the cults, and we thought that the prophecy could be hidden somewhere inside this wing." Nora explained, a faint chuckle escaping from the older man's mouth.

"I see. You'd be surprised at how many people have looked for the prophecy. You'll be disappointed to find out that there is no prophecy back there, but there is that glowing orb. That thing's been there since this library was built, leading people to believe it's connected to the prophecy." The older man informed them.

"Well it doesn't hurt to try it out. So if you could unlock the door for us, that'll be appreciated." Natasha requested, with Zachary making his way to the door, inserting his key into the door and unlocked it before pushing it gently. Gesturing the trio to step inside, the teenagers entered the abandoned wing with the older man following behind them. As one would expect from an abandoned wing, the area was virtually pitch-black, with cobwebs and the like littering the area. The place was cold, desolate and quiet, the sound of the floor creaking beneath their feet as a shiver was sent down Nora's spine.

"T-This place gives me the creeps…" Nora admitted quietly, only for Natasha to embrace her in a hug of sorts to keep her safe. "E-Eh?!"

"Don't worry…I'll keep you safe from whatever might harm us." The purple-haired girl whispered into her ear, gently petting her soft face as a vivid blush soon appeared on Nora's cheeks.

"Th-Thanks…" The green-haired girl managed to stammer, resting her head on her friends' shoulder as they made their way through the abandoned room. Eventually, the group of four made their way to the back of the room, where they saw a large purple orb glowing atop a pedestal. "T-That must be—"

"The orb? Yes, it is indeed. Supposedly, it has some connection to the prophecy; a load of rubbish in my opinion. I doubt there even was a prophecy, it's just some stupid legend. Anyways, get it over with as soon as possible." Zachary told them, the three teenagers quickly whispering to one another to see who will go up to it first. Eventually settling on Natasha, the purple-haired girl slowly made her way to the orb, a slow rumbling echoing throughout the room as the orb warped and glowed, before the room was soon enveloped in an ethereal mist. When the mist died down, it showed what looked like the ghost of a middle-aged woman, wearing a dark blue and green striped dress. Adjusting the glasses on her face, she gazed quietly down on the purple-haired girl before her.

"_You…are you the one who woke me up…?" _The ghost inquired, catching all four trainers in the room off-guard.

"T-This hasn't happened before! What's going on?!" Zachary inquired.

"_Ah…it feels great to be awake once more. I am the Prophet of Arceus, an Oracle of Delphox. What is it you seek from me?"_ The woman inquired.

"W-We wish to seek the prophecy that was written long ago. Were you the one who wrote it?" Natasha inquired nervously.

"_Yes…I was the one who wrote the prophecy. Normally, I'd request you to prove yourself, but I sense The Gift within you…those who are blessed with The Gift are deemed worthy in my eyes."_ The Oracle told her, with all eyes set upon the purple-haired girl.

"B-By gift, you mean…" She began.

"_The Delta Call? Yes, that is another name for The Gift. Those who are able to form a bond with those deemed as outcasts by their own kind are worthy or respect. Now then, allow me to tell you, and only you the prophecy." _The Oracle began, clearing her throat as she began to recall the ancient tale. _"The prophecy has been misunderstood multiple times, even by the cult leaders themselves. But what I will tell you is the correct version, or at least the summery of the correct prophecy. As you may know, the first thing predicted was the rise of a hero, aided by a Mythical Pokémon. They'll go on to defeat cult after cult with ease, apprehending the leaders and bring them to justice. However, they'll end up betraying their friends and join the Infernal Cult, securing them total dominion over Torren."_

"W-Wait! You mean to tell us that someone here will join the Infernal Cult?!" Damian exclaimed, horrified looks on the faces of the three teens.

"T-That can't be true! You must be lying to us!" Nora shot back.

"_You cannot avoid fate, Nora…"_ The Oracle replied, as another blanket of smoke filled the room before fading away, an empty space where the Oracle once stood.

"Well that was quite a dramatic exit. This reminds me of that the famous author L. Frank Baum did when introducing—" Zachary began.

"Shut up! How the hell can you stay calm after what we just heard?!" Nora shot back at him. "We were just told that there's a traitor among us! There's no time to joke around!"

"Well he did say that you'll get rid of all the cults, right? I've heard far worse prophecies truth be told. Besides, nobody but us knows about this, right? You can use that to your advantage. Anyways, I'll leave you three be, I've got some…important work to do." The older man replied, leaving the trio to themselves as a sinister grin started to form on his face.

"L-Listen, Nora. Don't panic about this, okay?" Damian hoped to calm his friend down, but it didn't work.

"Don't panic? We were just told that we're gonna lose! People are gonna die!" She shot back at him.

"Worrying about this isn't going to help. We need to work together; we can't let some prophecy divide us like this." The white-haired boy tried to reassure her once more.

"Hah! That sounds like something an Infernal Cultist in disguise would say. Isn't that right Mr. 'I blabbed about Mew and Celebi in front of cultists and they abducted me'?!" Nora retorted.

"C-Calm down you two! This isn't the time for arguing!" Natasha called out to them.

"Bah! I think your Stepmother was right about you when she said you weren't ready yet!" The green-haired girl commented snidely, causing Damian to clam up as he stepped back a few feet.

"I-I'm going to go now…I-I'll see you in Sonata City, Natasha. That's where the next gym is…" He replied quietly, a few tears falling down his cheeks as he ran out of the abandoned wing. The purple-haired girl was taken aback by what Nora had done, surprised that she would stoop that low.

"What the hell was that for?!" She snapped, pushing her friend lightly. "You know how he feels about his bitch of a stepmother?!"

"I…I'm so sorry, I-I don't know what came over me…I feel so awful. I need to apologize to him when I see him…" Nora admitted, with Natasha resting a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sure you didn't mean it, but it will take some time for him to forgive you. After all, you did bring up a rather sensitive topic." The purple-haired girl told her.

"You're right…I don't expect him to forgive me that easily. Natasha, I don't want to lose either of you two; hence why I'll be devoting all my strength to defeating the cults." The green-haired girl commented, making her way out of the library as Natasha opted to stay behind for a little longer, hoping to find some additional knowledge about her special gift.

**A bit of a sad ending, but here's hoping things will improve for our heroic trio in the upcoming chapters. Thank you all for reading and supporting my story, I'll see you in the next chapter.**

**Acquired Delta Pokémon:**

**D. Venusaur**

**D. Charizard**

**D. Blastoise**

**D. Dugtrio**

**D. Crustle (Cake) **

**D. Graveler**

**D. Ambipom**

**D. Muk**

**D. Solosis**

**D. Scyther**

**D. Volcarona**

**D. Sunflora**

**D. Gardevoir (female)**

**D. Gallade**

**D. Quagsire**

**D. Pichu**

**D. Deino**

**D. Pidgey**

**D. Golett**

**D. Plusle**

**D. Minun**

**D. Lotad**

**D. Heatmor**


	14. Chapter 14

**Welcome back everyone; this next chapter will feature several new captures and some more plot development, so that's something to look forward to.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon Insurgence; it is the property of its creators.**

Having spent an additional hour in the library, Natasha was dismayed upon discovering no other information about the Delta Call despite putting in an immense amount of effort searching for it. Then again, it's not like she was that motivated to look for it in the first place; she was still shaken up from that argument between Nora and Damian, creating a permanent rift in their friendship. And while she could understand Nora's fears, she felt that she went too far when it came to bringing up his stepmother. Either way, the only thing she could do now was join Damian in Sonata City and earn her next gym badge. Making her way to the front entrance, she was a little surprised to see the three Pokémon she had befriended, waiting patiently at the entrance.

"Emolga!" The Delta Emolga chirped, making its way to her with the Delta Drifblim and Delta Roserade following behind.

"H-Hey there, is something the matter?" The purple-haired girl inquired, the three Pokémon letting out a series of quick chirps as she soon figured out what they wanted. "Ah, I see. You wish to come along with me? In that case, you're more than welcome to join the party!"

The three Pokémon let out chirps of joy upon hearing the news, with Natasha shooting a smile at them as she got out three empty Pokéballs and recalled them into the devices. Pocketing her newest companions, she quickly looked around to see if she had any more business to attend to before quietly making her way outside the library and towards the newest route.

Route 8 was just like your average route one would come across in their journey; it was fairly short and was brimming with lush vegetation and the like. A few small lakes ran through the area, providing the local wildlife a safe place to drink. However, there was a very special reason for Natasha to explore this otherwise unremarkable route; that being the Delta Munchlax that was kept hidden from the Perfection cult. Making her way through the knee-high grass that populated the area, the purple-haired girl soon found a small grotto tucked away in the trees, making her way through them and into the depths. Upon stepping inside, she saw what she came here to find; sitting idly in the center was the Munchlax, it's body covered in a thick grassy fur. Additionally, it had what looked like a pair of small shrubs growing from the back of its shoulders. The Munchlax let out a quiet yawn, stretching its arms as it gazed calmly at the girl before it.

"I-I come in peace." Natasha stated, taking out a large and shiny apple from her bag and placed it on the ground before the Knoll Pokémon, quietly stepping back as it sniffed the luscious fruit before it. Picking it up with its hands, the Munchlax began to chow down on the apple at an incredible pace leaving not a single trace behind. Wiping its mouth, it gazed endearingly at the teenage girl, grateful to her for giving it something to eat. "No worries; if you want more food like that, you're more than welcome to come along with me."

"Munch!" The Munchlax chirped happily, more than willing to join her on her adventures as the duo soon made their way out the grotto and towards their next destination.

**Miara Town**

Upon arriving to the tranquil seaside town, Natasha took in a deep breath of the sea air and let it out slowly, a relaxing sensation coursing through her body as she relished in the soothing atmosphere of the small town. However, her sense of relief was abruptly halted by what sounded like someone talking to herself. Looking to the side, she saw what looked like a middle-aged woman with bluish-white hair, her outfit consisting of what looked like a vivid blue scuba suit with markings resembling those found on Kyogre's body.

"Ah, Miara Town. My favorite place in Torren. What a lovely, lovely town. It's peaceful, serene and built over the shining sea. And of course, the Whirl Islands now rest just a route away. It's a shame, really; when I flood the region, I'll save this town for last. At last, the sea is awakening once more. It's time to bring the King his crown." The woman mused to herself, ending with a chuckle as she made her way through the town.

"W-What the…" Natasha mused to herself, a worried expression on her face. Was this woman really crazy enough to flood the entire region for the sake of power? If so, then she was no ordinary cultist; she would have to be some sort of cult leader, but for which cult? Judging from her outfit and modus operandi, it was highly likely that she was the head of the Abyssal Cult, so did that mean that their base was nearby, on this Whirl Islands she mentioned? Either way, the purple-haired girl opted to go about her normal business before dealing with this cult leader; After all, a lack of proper preparation could lead to her early demise. She was about to make her way to the Pokémon Center when she was soon accosted by a rather burly sailor, sporting a worried expression on his face.

"Excuse me ma'am, but are you a strong trainer? I need some help with a…pressing issue." He inquired.

"As a matter of fact, I am! What's the problem, sir?" She smiled at him.

"Oh thank goodness! A-Anyway, I'm the one in charge of the Trade Outpost south of here; burglars have taken over the place and are using it as a base of operations. If you could drive them out, then I will be eternally grateful." The sailor explained his problem to her.

"Sounds easy enough! I'll deal with those dastardly thieves in a jiffy; just lead me there and I'll get the job done!" Natasha pledged, the sailor letting out a sigh of relief as he gestured the teenage girl to follow him to his boat. From there, it was a five-minute trip to a small island, the main attraction being a vast, three-story building in the center that had several men patrolling the nearby area.

"Here's the plan; you go in and deal with their leader. That should scare the lackeys away from this place. I'll stay here and keep the boat from the crooks." The sailor told her, with the purple-haired girl nodding in confirmation as she hopped off the boat and quietly crept up towards the building. She hid herself in the bushes, waiting for the patrolling thieves to leave the area before quickly making her way inside the building. From there, she continued her way through the main lobby and into the hall at the back, but was suddenly ambushed by a group of thieves.

"Heheheh, looks like we got ourselves a rat…hand us all your Pokémon and we might let you leave this place!" A burglar sneered at her, only for Natasha to shoot him an unamused look at him.

I'd rather do business with your leader, thank you very much. I'm sure we'll be able to come to an agreement over this." She replied, only for the crooks to continue laughing at her.

"What a riot! The boss will have a field day with her!" A second burglar chuckled to his comrade. "Very well, we'll grant you your request. But don't come crying to us when he and his first-mate mop the floor with you!"

Grabbing her firmly by her shoulder, the first burglar escorted Natasha to the bosses' room, his comrades following him as they were eagerly awaiting a beatdown on this upstart who invaded their new headquarters. A few minutes later, the group arrived at where their boss was located, only for Natasha to raise an eyebrow in curiosity at the sight before her. The so-called boss of these thieves was nothing more than a Haxorus, though it looked a lot different than a usual Haxorus. It's body was a mixture of grey and white, with some black stripes on the grey portions of its body. It's tail resembled that of a shark, with a pair of fins on the back of its arms as well. On its head was a large dorsal fin, with a metal chain embedded in it; the tusks in its mouth resembling the barbed flukes of an anchor.

It's first-mate, a Weezing, was also a lot different than it's usual appearance; it's body an electric yellow that had a few grey clouds surrounding its body. The most notable feature was that its second face was replaced by what looked like a large fan, capable of generating electricity. It was evident that both these Pokémon were Delta Species, which should make negotiations easier than expected.

"So, you're the fabled captain of this rag-tag group of thieves? I was hoping I could negotiate with you over the terms of my release." Natasha began calmly, catching the Haxorus off-guard with how composed she was. Usually, trainers would grovel and plead before its feet for mercy, but this one wasn't fazed at all by its intimidating appearance. Intrigued by her courage, the Anchor Shark Pokémon began conversing with her via a series of chirps and growls, the purple-haired woman listening to its words as a look of understanding appeared on her face.

"Is that so…? Then shall it be me or you who tells your followers?" She stated, with Haxorus giving her the all clear to speak its words. "Your leader wants you lot to disband and give up the lifestyle of a thief."

"W-What?! Why would out boss want that?! You're lying to us; I just know it!" The first burglar shot back, only for the Haxorus to roar back at the criminal. "A-Ah…I-I see. I-In that case, w-we'll do as you're told and l-leave this place…" He replied meekly, quickly fleeing the area with the other thieves running after him.

"Thanks for dealing with them." The purple-haired girl thanked the Haxorus, bowing politely before it. "Now then, what do you two plan on doing? If you don't have any idea, you could come along with me."

The Haxorus and the Weezing looked at each other briefly, quietly chirping to each other as to whether they should accept her offer or not. Around a minute later, the two Pokémon came to a decision, opting to pledge their loyalty to Natasha. "Excellent! Now come along then, we've got some business to do." She called out to them, the trio making their way out the vast building."

**0000**

"So it was a Pokémon leading them all along?" The sailor inquired, the duo arriving back at Miara Town following the news of her victory over the bandits.

"Yep, it was. Don't worry about the lackeys though; they won't be bothering anyone ever again!" Natasha told him, a smile on her face.

"In that case, let me reward you. I have here a pass that enables you free entry to the museum in town. I got it as a gift, but I don't have the time to use it before it expires, so I figured I'd give it to you." The burly man handed her a small, golden pass, with the words 'free entry' on the front.

"Thank you. I might go check it out now!" She thanked him, the duo waving each other goodbye as they went their separate ways. Arriving at the museum, Natasha stepped inside and handed the pass to the receptionist, the young woman accepting it and allowed her access to the museum. From there, the purple-haired girl spent half an hour gazing at the various exhibits, which mostly consisted of Pokémon fossils, journal entries from sailors of old and various treasures that were found under the sea. However, the main exhibit was the fabled Blue Orb; a powerful artifact associated with the legendary Pokémon Kyogre. She stepped closer to take a look but was halted in place by the nearby guard.

"I'm sorry, but if you want a closer look at the Blue Orb, I'll need to accompany you. It's a most valuable treasure after all." The guard stated, with Natasha agreeing to his terms as the duo approached the exhibit case together. "This orb has quite the history; it powered Kyogre back in the days of Earths' beginning, and the Aqua-Hoenn conflict fifty years ago. Back then, it was used by Archie to revert Kyogre back to its Primal Form. This orb was most generously donated to us by an anoy—"

"Oh, no way." A familiar voice called out, the duo turning to see a middle-aged woman approaching the exhibit. Natasha's eyes widened at the sight; this was the same woman who threatened to flood the entire region under water.

"Ah, hello miss. I was just in a speech about the Blue Orb; perhaps you—" The guard began.

"Forgive me for the interruption, but I'm here for the relic." She interrupted him, a serious look etched on her face. "I'm sure you're familiar with the Abyssal Cult, no? I'll cut to the chase; I'm Audrey, leader of the Abyssal Cult. I've been known to murder those in my way; let's make this easier for the both of us, alright?"

"E-Eeep!" The guard shrieked in fear, stepping away from the exhibit as Audrey began to inspect the case for an opening. "W-What do you want to do with it?"

"Well, you tell me. What could the leader of the Abyssal Cult want with Lugia's artifact?" She replied calmly, making her way to the left side of the exhibit case.

"L-Lugia? Ma'am, the Blue Orb is Kyogre's relic, not Lugia's." He corrected her, however she wasn't fazed by it at all. Just a few moments later, she pressed down on a hidden switch on the side, a satisfied smirk on her face as she took the Tidal Bell from the secret compartment.

"A secret compartment? How clever…but not clever enough." Audrey commented, turning to face the guard. "You thought you could keep the Tidal Bell hidden by placing it underneath the case containing some cheap plastic ball?"

"B-But that's the Blue Orb!" The guard shot back.

"No, it isn't. it's just a piece of plastic that looks like the Blue Orb. How do I know this? I was the one who donated it. As for how I knew the bell was there; it's logical that the best place to hide something is in plain sight. Nobody would think to look for the bell next to a fake orb." The older woman commented. "As the leader of the Abyssal Cult, everyone assumes I'm after Kyogre. Nobody would want me obtaining the Blue Orb, in the fear that I'll succeed where Archie failed. Having a copy in the museum that's guarded 24/7…well what better way to make everyone think I don't already have it?"

"Y-You're a genius…a diabolical genius…" Natasha muttered, taken aback by how intelligent the woman before her way. She wasn't some pompous git like Jaern, an arrogant brute like Taen or some bloodthirsty rogue like Persephone; she was a cold, calculated murder who was five steps ahead of everyone else.

"Never expected to here a compliment from you, Natasha. So you're the one that Mew chose? If you want to stop me that badly, then bring it on. I shall be awaiting you in the depths of the Whirl Islands, to the south of this lovely town. Don't keep me waiting…" Audrey smirked confidently at the purple-haired girl, the older woman quietly making her way out the museum as Natasha began thinking to herself. If she wanted to stand a chance of defeating this mastermind, she would need to spend the next hour or so preparing her team.

**90 minutes later**

Having finished making her preparations for her battle against Audrey, the purple-haired girl hopped onto her inflatable Lapras and began the slow journey to the Whirl Islands. She knew that this would be one of her most dangerous battles yet, given the magnitude of the opponent she was facing, so she opted to give it her all for this battle. Natasha braved the everlasting storms of the route before her, clinging firmly to the inflatable Lapras so that she didn't fall off. However, she was able to endure them and make her way to the Whirl Islands, arriving on land and scouted the area.

"Hmmm…I don't see any Abyssal Cultists here, they must all be inside…" She mused to herself, slowly approaching the cave but was soon halted in her place by a mysterious chittering. Turning to the side, she saw what looked like a blue Dunsparce with black stripes running across its body, its four legs resembling that of a water strider. Its two mandibles were tapping on a pair of oysters lightly, determining whether or not it was safe to consume. However, the oysters would soon open up, giving the Dunsparce the surprise of a lifetime as it found out that the oysters were a pair of Clamperl. The Clamperl had a more draconic look to them; with fanglike growths keeping the lustrous orange gem in place.

"H-Hey, what's going on here?" Natasha inquired, catching the trio off-guard as they were unsure on how to respond. "Look, it's bucketing with rain out here. Why don't we talk about it inside?"

A little intrigued over her prospect, the three Pokémon followed the purple-haired girl inside the cave, taking refuge from the relentless storm. Once they knew they were safe, the three Delta Pokémon began to explain their side of the story to Natasha, who listened with an interested look on her face. "Ah, I see. You two were washed up onshore as a result of the storm, leading Dunsparce to assume that you were safe to eat. Am I on the right track?"

"Dun~" The Dunsparce chittered, an idea soon forming in the girl's mind.

"Why don't you three tag along with me for now? I have some business to conduct down here and I'm not so sure it's safe for you three to be out here in the open." The purple-haired girl proposed, the three Pokémon briefly glancing at each other before accepting her proposal. Smiling at them, she recalled both Clamperl to their balls before gesturing Dunsparce to hop onto her shoulder. Now that she was ready to begin exploring, Natasha proceeded to make her way through the vast system of caves, only to soon come across another one of those mysterious spires. "Huh…it's been a while since I've seen one of these things before. Ah well, let's give it a try!"

Spending the next ten minutes solving the puzzle before her, the purple-haired girl smiled as the last piece clicked into place, revealing the alcove with the mysterious scroll and took it for herself. With four of the scrolls obtained, she felt that she was at the halfway mark, though how she knew that was a complete mystery. Getting back to the matter at hand, Natasha made her way deeper into the cave, a little curious as to the surprising lack of cultists in her way; perhaps they obeyed Audrey's request at a battle against her and opted to stand down. Eventually, she made her way to the depths of the cave, where she saw a massive waterfall crashing down into the pond before it, the streams connected to it flowing from the ocean and back into it. Standing atop what looked like some sort of ancient altar was Audrey, the older woman turning to see Natasha slowly approaching her.

"I figured you'd show up eventually; you're brave, I'll give you that much." She commented, noticing the Delta Dunsparce on the teenage girl's shoulder. "And I see a Delta Species on your shoulder; you really are the special snowflake hero the other cults talk about."

"O-Other cults? You mean you talk to the other leaders in secret?" Natasha inquired.

"Not quite; I have a few spies within the other cults who gather intelligence for me. I never would've expected the Augur and the leader of the Sky Cult to be one and the same. Still, Jaern's always been an incompetent pest and I doubt owning Rayquaza will turn the tides for him." The older woman stated, turning to face the massive waterfall. "The Whirl Islands are home to one of the oldest living creatures; Lugia, guardian of the seas and the legendary Stormslinger."

"Stormslinger?" The purple-haired girl asked, a look of confusion on her face.

"It's a very, very ancient term that the people of old used to call it; very few people alive today even know of its existence." Audrey answered, momentarily gazing at the Tidal Bell in her hand. "Long ago, the Whirl Islands used to rest within the Johto region, but now they've returned to their proper place. I assume you have an idea why it's here instead of there…?"

"C-Could it have to do with the Tidal Bell and how it's in Torren instead of Johto?" Natasha assumed, with the older woman applauding her slowly.

"Very good, my little snowflake. As you've deduced, the domain of a legendary Pokémon isn't an ordinary place; it's connected to that Pokémon's specific artifact. It's why the Hall of Origin only appeared to Dawn when she brandished the Azure Flute at the Spear Pillar in Sinnoh. And since I have custody of this bell, Lugia will obey my commands." She explained, turning to face the waterfall with the bell in her outstretched arm. "Emerge, Lugia! You will aid me in my conquest of the world!"

Ringing the bell slowly, Natasha stepped back as a set of four ethereal dancers walked around the altar, doing a quick twirl every time they arrived at a corner. The eerie dance lasted for around a minute before the ghosts promptly disappeared, the deafening cry of an almighty being coming from the large waterfall as an unspeakably large Pokémon emerged from it. This was it; the legendary guardian of the seas, Lugia, and it was slowly making its way to Audrey. "U-Unbelievable…" The purple-haired girl commented in awe, unaware of the ominous chuckling coming from behind her.

"It may be at first, but the eyes do not deceive this time." Audrey stated, with Lugia gazing at her as if they were lifelong companions. "Behold, the almighty Stormslinger. With is strength and my leadership, this world will be ours. I'll create a far better utopia than whatever dictatorship Jaern wishes to concoct. The two of us have great plans, plans that require our combined teamwork to pull off."

"W-Well…it's good to see that you two are getting along nicely. I-I'll just leave you two be—H-Huh?!" Natasha began, stepping back in fear only to turn around and see half a dozen Abyssal Cultists blocking the way out. "W-Where'd you lot come from?!"

"And thus, the trapdoor closes…" The white-haired woman mused, a satisfied smirk on her face. "Even if you win this battle, I won't release Lugia; after all, the two of us came to an agreement. But if you lose, I'll take you back to my base as my personal prisoner; I'm sure the two of us can come to an agreement regarding your services to me. Don't you get it? I've outsmarted you; no matter what way you look at it, I come out on top."

"D-Damn it…I thought you were diabolical, but now I know you're downright magnificent. How you haven't taken over the region yet is beyond me." The purple-haired girl stated, mentally kicking herself for allowing herself to end up in this position.

"As the old saying goes; slow and steady wins the race. Rather than make my presence know immediately, I waited in the shadows, quietly working out the best way to go about my plans. My leadership was how the Abyssal Cult was able to survive the war against the First Augur, and it will be what ensures our final victory." Audrey stated, shooting a confident look at Natasha. "I'll allow you some time to make final preparations; the Stormslinger deserves a proper challenge after all."

"I was born ready! You can throw as many Pokémon as you want at me; I won't give in until the bitter end!" The teenage girl shot back, taking out a Pokéball and sent out her Weezing.

"Brave…brave but stupid." The older woman commented, taking out a Pokéball and sent out her Ludicolo, the Carefree Pokémon dancing happily on the spot as Natasha gazed at it calmly. Perhaps she's saving Lugia for an emergency, for when the tides are against her. Still, she knew she couldn't hold back for even a moment, lest she get swept aside like a paper bag in the air.

Opting to boost it's power to the max, the Weezing used the clouds around its body to drum on its torso, bolstering its attack to the highest it can go at the cost of its health, only to consume the Sitrus berry it was holding for this occasion. In retaliation, the Ludicolo conjured up a deep blue ball of energy and flung it in the air, watching as it soon exploded and created a heavy rainstorm. The newly created rainstorm gave the Carefree Pokémon a boost in speed, allowing it to bob and weave through the various rock formations on the ground. However, the Weezing wasn't ready to throw in the towel just yet, its body spinning rapidly as it flew through the air like an acrobat, striking the Ludicolo head on and sent it flying towards a nearby stalagmite, causing the grunts to gasp in awe as to how this child could knock out one of their leader's Pokémon with ease.

"Not bad, not bad at all…I figured you'd make use of your Pokemon's power. However, you're only delaying the inevitable." Audrey stated, recalling her Ludicolo and opted to send out her Kingdra, the regal seahorse huffing at the Thunder Clap Pokémon.

With the rain giving it a boost in speed like it's companion, the Kingdra swam towards the Weezing, firing a beam of icy cold energy from its mouth that struck the Delta Pokémon head on, causing it to fly back a few feet. Shaking off the small particles of ice on its body, the Weezing began generating electricity by spinning its fan rapidly, conjuring up a powerful bolt of lightning that struck the Kingdra head on, paralyzing it in place. Seizing this opportunity to deal the finishing blow, the Thunder Clap Pokémon began spinning towards the Dragon Pokémon, only for the latter to retaliate with a powerful blast of water that knocked the Weezing out of the air and onto the ground before it. As the sea dragon slowly made its way to its injured foe, ready to deal the finishing blow, it soon saw a glowing white light emanate from the Thunder Clap Pokémon, its eyes widening in surprise as a wicked explosion soon rocked the entire cave, causing everyone present to shield their faces. When the dust died down, they saw that both Pokémon were knocked out as a result of the explosion.

"You did well out there Weezing, now it's time for a nice rest…" Natasha smiled at her companion, recalling it to its ball as she saw her opponent recall her Kingdra. "But now it's time for its friend to enact revenge on you; Haxorus, I choose you!"

Sending out her next Pokémon, the Haxorus emerged from its ball, letting out an almighty roar as an impressed look formed on Audrey's face. "What a lovely specimen; it'll make for a nice reward once I defeat you. A creature as fine as this deserves a worthy opponent like my Crawdaunt." She commented, taking out a Pokéball and sent out her Crawdaunt, before taking out her Mega Ring and pressed down on it.

The Crawdaunt was enveloped in a wondrous orb of light, breaking free from it a few moments later as it took on a new form. Its durable shell was now even harder than before, with a few spines now stemming from the lobster's shoulders. It's pincers were bigger and sharper than before, with the star atop its head a lot more pointier than before. The Crawdaunt let out an ominous gurgle, more than ready to crush its foe within its large pincers.

Cloaking its body in water, the Rogue Pokémon lunged at the Haxorus, striking it head on and caused the Anchor Shark Pokémon to stagger back a couple feet. However, it was more than capable of withstanding the attack, raising its arm in the air and smacked the Crawdaunt upside its head, the crustacean tumbling on the ground momentarily before picking itself back up. From there, the Crawdaunt's pincers began shining in the dimly lit room, the Rogue Pokémon sharpening them up for a decisive blow. It then opted to scuttle towards the Haxorus at impressive speeds, only for the latter to trip it over with a sweeping kick. The Anchor Shark Pokémon then picked up the Mega Pokémon, twirling it in the air at amazing speeds before leaping in the air and flung it towards the ground, kicking up a sizable cloud of dust as the Crawdaunt devolved into its regular form, unable to continue battling.

"…" Audrey chose to remain quiet, recalling her fainted Pokémon as she chose to go all out. Gesturing at her Lugia to defeat the insolent trainer before her, the guardian of the seas gazing at the powerful Haxorus before it. Flapping its wings quickly, the Lugia conjured up a powerful vortex of air and shot it at the Anchor Shark Pokemon, who struggled to keep its footing as it was soon flung backwards several feet, crash landing near the Abyssal grunts who wisely backed away from the area a bit. Slowly managing to get up, the Haxorus bellowed at the Lugia, cloaking its body in water before lunging at its foe, striking it head on and clamped onto its neck with its sharp fangs, the guardian of the seas bellowing in pain as the bipedal shark sank its teeth into the former's soft flesh. The Luiga was able to knock the shark away with a smack from its powerful wings, shooting a glare at it as it charged up a ball of psychic energy and fired it in a beam at the Haxorus. The beam struck the shark head on, causing it to stagger momentarily, but was able to shake the dizziness away. Glaring back at the Luiga, the Haxorus' body began to glow a harsh orange as it began to assault the guardian of the seas with a barrage of powerful tackles, kicks and punches, knocking the Lugia back several feet as it landed behind Audrey, a look of surprise etched on her face.

"Well then, I must say that you're rather impressive. Defeating both Lugia and my Crawdaunt takes some serious skill. As I said before, I won't release Lugia upon my defeat, but I will let you live for now…" She admitted, recalling the Lugia to the Master Ball she had on her.

"T-Thanks, I guess…?" Natasha replied, a little surprised that she was able to defeat such a powerful opponent.

"I'd suggest that you stay out of out way from now on, but a part of me is looking forward to a rematch when I'm at my full strength. When that day comes, I will defeat you and see my dream reach fruition. Until then, my little snowflake…" Audrey said calmly, gesturing her sub-ordinates to fall back as the Abyssal Cult proceeded to vacate the area. Watching her enemy leave, the purple-haired girl let out a sigh of relief, congratulating her Haxorus for putting in some amazing effort before recalling it to its ball. If she wanted a remote chance of defeating Audrey at her best, then she needed to get stronger, and the Sonata City Gym sounds like the ideal place to do so. Gesturing at the Dunsparce to hop onto her shoulder, the duo proceeded to make their way back to Miara Town, in the hopes of a nice, warm place to rest their weary bodies.

**So sorry for the late update everyone, but I was busy getting my latest story ready for its debut. When it comes to Audrey, she's one of my favorite villains in the game due to how incredibly competent she is when compared to some of the other villains *cough* Taen *cough*. I don't have a doubt in my mind that were it not for the player's intervention, she would've easily won the cult war, at least until you know who plays their trump card. Thank you all for reading and supporting my story, I'll see you in the next chapter.**

**Acquired Delta Pokémon:**

**D. Venusaur**

**D. Charizard**

**D. Blastoise**

**D. Dugtrio**

**D. Crustle (Cake) **

**D. Graveler**

**D. Ambipom**

**D. Muk**

**D. Solosis**

**D. Scyther**

**D. Volcarona**

**D. Sunflora**

**D. Gardevoir (female)**

**D. Gallade**

**D. Quagsire**

**D. Pichu**

**D. Deino**

**D. Pidgey**

**D. Golett**

**D. Plusle**

**D. Minun**

**D. Lotad**

**D. Heatmor**

**D. Emolga**

**D. Drifblim**

**D. Roserade**

**D. Munchlax**

**D. Haxorus**

**D. Weezing**

**D. Dunsparce**

**D. Clamperl x2 (one male, one female)**


	15. Chapter 15

**Welcome to the next chapter of Delta Whisperer, and if all goes well, I should be able to cover the next gym battle in this chapter. I hope you all enjoy what I have in store for you this time around!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon Insurgence; it is the property of its creators.**

Having made her way back to Miara Town, Natasha hopped off her Inflatable Lapras and placed it back inside her bag, the purple-haired girl quietly musing to herself over what had just gone down at the Whirl Islands. Though she was able to defeat Audrey in a battle, it was all for naught as the older woman simply left the area as she said she would, as opposed to releasing Lugia right there. Then again, she did say that she wouldn't have released it if she had lost, so what did Natasha expect in the end? In fact, the only reason Audrey even accepted the battle was because she had a chance at capturing the one that Mew chose; granting her a useful agent to deal with the other cults.

"I don't know the full details of Audrey's plan, but whatever it is, it can't be good. For the sake of the Torren Region, I must stop her!" Natasha declared, figuring out where to go next. She will make her way to Sonata City and defeat the Gym Leader there, earning herself her fourth badge. Making her way back onto Route 8, she saw what looked like a small cave of sorts to the right and opted to enter it, hoping it would bring her closer to her next destination. Thankfully, it was a fairly quick trip, the purple-haired girl making her way through the cave within the span of five minutes. But as she exited the cave, Natasha froze on the spot, the sound of leaves crunching underneath a boot echoing throughout the area. Glancing to the right, she saw what appeared to be Jaern approaching Persephone, the white-haired woman standing by the edge of the cliff as the teenage girl proceeded to eavesdrop on their conversation.

"You're late." Persephone commented bluntly, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I'm never late, you're just early." Jaern huffed in response, the blonde man in no mood to beat around the bush. "I assume you know why I wanted to see you in private?"

"If it's about the deal, then it's finished. I thought you knew that by now." The young woman inquired.

"I thought so too, at least until I met Natasha in Telnor Town. She came to my tower and defeated Rayquaza. And if that wasn't enough, her friend was the one who destroyed the crystal and sent its pieces all over the region. But the worst part was that she remembered her name; her name! If she remembers what happened that day…if the people of Torren start to recognize her…" The blonde man began to panic.

"Don't start crying to me; you went too damn far that day and I won't let you blame me for your failure!" Persephone shot back at him.

"I gave you the damn brat; I told you that if you dealt with her, I'd leave you and your cult alone when I came into power. All you had to do was dispose of her, yet you couldn't even do that! What's your excuse for this failure?!" Jaern seethed at her, his tone dripping with venom and contempt. "Choose your words carefully; they might be your last."

"We were so close to completing the memory wipe, however we had to interrupt it in order to conduct the ritual. Once the ritual was over, I returned to check up on her, only to see that she was gone. The only person recorded to have left the base at the time was a Darkrai cultist who looked eerily similar to one that I sacrificed a year ago." She explained her case to him, an idea soon dawning onto her. "I firmly believe that Natasha was rescued by Mew that day."

"So Mew's finally decided to show its face…" The blonde man mused to himself, going over various ideas on how he can deal with his enemy. "I could use the media to brand her and her friends as insurgents, but if the public found out that I failed to stop them, my precious reputation would be ruined."

"How tragic…" Persephone retorted sarcastically, her contempt for the Second Augur as plain as day.

"Your witty snark aside, there's something I need to tell you. I've done some research on the crystal before your failure, and I've developed a hunch on where the First Augur may've found it. If I'm right, there may be a conspiracy in Torren bigger than I could've imagined!" Jaern stated, though his co-conspirator wasn't interested in whatever it was he was talking about.

"I take it you're going to investigate this lead?" The white-haired woman inquired.

"Naturally. You better have dealt with Natasha by the time I come back, otherwise your pathetic base in the forest will be burned to the ground." The Augur threatened, sending out his Rayquaza and promptly hopped on it's back. "I'm the antihero, Persephone. The chaotic good character. I'll do whatever I need to save the world. Stand in my way and you'll be swept aside!"

Watching the Augur take flight, the leader of the Cult of Darkrai couldn't resist the urge to roll her eyes over how edgy Jaern was acting. After all, he was acting like the high school loner who plans on shooting up the place because the head cheerleader didn't want to go to the prom with him. "…more like lawful evil. No wonder nobody likes that cretin; had it not been for all the propaganda he's churned out, I could ruin him in one fell swoop." She muttered to herself, walking away from the area as Natasha was taken aback by all that she had heard.

"N-No way…" She gasped to herself. Persephone and Jaern had been working together from the very beginning, and nobody even knew about it. There were two things that stood out in that little conversation, the first thing being that crystal that Damian had destroyed. From what she gathered, the First Augur found this crystal somewhere, and used it to defeat the various cults, but where exactly did he find it? Was it gifted to him by a legendary Pokémon, perhaps even Arceus itself? Was it the power source for a cabal of influential people in the world, the mere existence of them being the granddaddy of all conspiracy theories? But that was nothing compared to the second, more pressing question at hand. Why on earth did Jaern fear her so much that he'd go above and beyond to dispose of her? Furthermore, what did he do that earned the ire and disgust of Persephone, a woman who has no problem murdering her cultists for the sake of achieving her goals? Once again, she was dealt more questions that she couldn't answer right now, questions that she assumed she'll find answers for eventually.

Moving away from the cave entrance, Natasha resumed her journey to Sonata City, the purple-haired girl traversing through the lush scenery of Route 9. However, she soon came across a rather unusual sight; a wingless Vespiquen sitting beside a flower bed, plucking them one by one and consuming them quickly. The Vespiquen's body was made out of solid titanium, the sun shining off her body as the three hornlike projections glowed yellow. Once she had eaten enough flowers, the Pokémon recovered enough strength to hover in the air, a series of flames shooting out from her honeycombs as if it were an engine of sorts. "Another Delta Pokémon…" Natasha mused to herself, the Vespiquen turning to face her as a look of intrigue formed on her face.

"H-Hi there, I'm just minding my business." The purple-haired girl stated, an idea forming in her mind as she took out a jar of honey from her bag. "Do you like honey? Consider this a gift."

The Reactor Pokémon eyed up the honey with glee, swiftly opening the jar and began slurping the contents inside as an amused expression formed on Natasha's face. She knew that the diet of a Delta Species was very similar to the diet of its regular counterpart, hence why it was easy to win their favor with food. Soon enough, the Vespiquen had finished eating the honey, handing the jar back to Natasha as she continued gazing at her.

"If you want, you can come along with me. I'll be sure to give you more honey if you choose to do so." Natasha proposed, with the Vespiquen agreeing to her proposal within seconds as the Steel type hovered towards her. With a smile on her face, the purple-haired girl gestured her newest friend to follow her, as the duo continued their journey towards Sonata City.

**1 hour later**

After a somewhat arduous journey, the purple-haired girl finally arrived at her destination, the tranquil Sonata City. Despite being less than half the size of Helios City, there were a wide variety of activities once can engage in, the most famous of which being the Sonata Races. Four trainers would send out a Pokémon and have them go through one of several racetracks, packed to the brim with various obstacles. The best part is that depending on how well a Pokémon places, they may receive a sponsorship from one of several corporations, rewarding the trainer with a tidy sum of money. Another activity of note was the large Gachapon machine at the back of the city; the way it works is that a Pokémon enters the machine and waits for a capsule to fall down the tube and into its hand. From there, it can receive one of several prizes, ranging from evolution items, to valuable trading items, and even a chance at becoming a shiny Pokémon. But as tempting as these activities were, Natasha only had one thing on her mind; winning her next gym badge. Making her way to the gym, she happened to notice a middle-aged couple whispering to themselves, with the woman glancing at the purple-haired girl.

"Is everything alright?" Natasha inquired, catching the duo by surprise.

"S-Sorry for causing you to worry. It's just that…you look familiar for some reason." The woman replied, causing the young girl to raise an eyebrow in response.

"Familiar? You mean like a family member or something?" She pressed further.

"That's the thing; we don't know who exactly you are, just that you look familiar." The man commented. "We apologize for taking your time."

"No need to apologize; if anything, I was the one why interrupted your conversation, so I should be the one apologizing." Natasha replied, waving the duo farewell as she continued her way to the gym, her mind occupied by their words. It wasn't the first time someone had commented about her resembling someone they remembered vaguely, but who it was exactly kept escaping their mind. Was this what Jaern was worried about when he talked about other people recognizing her? Was that the reason why he made a deal with Persephone to dispose of her? Could she be…could she be the First Augur, or someone related to them? Whatever the case, it was yet another question that she lacked an answer for, one that would have to be figured out at a later time.

Finally arriving at the Sonata City Gym, the purple-haired girl stepped through the door and was immediately greeted by Harmony. "Well if it isn't Natasha, I had a hunch you'd make it this far sooner or later." The older woman smiled at her.

"It has been a while, hasn't it?" Natasha smiled back at her. "I assume you know why I'm here?"

"Yes, you're after my Gym Badge, aren't you? Don't expect me to hand it over just because we're friends. You've got to earn it first." The brown-haired woman stated, gesturing the teenage girl to follow her as the duo soon arrived at the main arena. "I'll warn you; I have a secret weapon that'll flatten you and your dreams of advancing through the league!"

"You act as if I'll tremble in fear; if I can take on a cult leader on my own, then this should be a walk in the park!" The purple-haired girl retorted, opting to send out her Delta Scizor as Harmony sent out her Cinccino. The Scizor's light-blue body reflected the gym's light in a dazzling display, its sharp pincers clenched tightly as it shot a determined glare at the opposing Pokémon. Natasha was confident that all the training she had put in would secure her a victory, though she had to be careful about whatever surprise Harmony may have up her sleeve.

The Cinccino leapt into the air and landed on the Scizor's torso, promptly turning around and began smacking its face with its fluffy tail as the Frozen Claw Pokémon let out a small huff of annoyance. Quickly batting the furry critter aside with its pincer, the Scizor got back on its feet and conjured up a series of sharp icicles before flinging them at the Scarf Pokemon, who was struck by the attack and sent flying back a few feet. Slowly getting up off the floor, the small Pokémon brushed the dirt and grass off its body before picking up a series of rocks and threw them at its opponent in a relentless frenzy. The Scizor dodged the incoming barrage of rocks and dove towards the Cinccino, assaulting it with a barrage of quick punches from its pincers before striking its body with a powerful kick, sending the chinchilla flying back several feet as it crumpled before Harmony's feet.

"Well I see that you're not holding back, hon~" She whistled in awe at her opponent, promptly recalling her Pokémon before opting to send out her Azumarill. The Azumarill took in a deep breath before spewing a powerful torrent of water from its mouth, with the Scizor using its pincers to defend itself as it was pushed back a couple feet. However, the Frozen Claw Pokémon was able to break free from the attack and dove towards the Aquarabbit Pokémon, it's pincers glowing with a dark pink aura as it slashed at the Azumarill, causing it to stagger back a few feet. From there, the Scizor continued its offense, leaping up into the air and sent a barrage of icicles at its opponent, before following up with a barrage of swift punches that caused the Azumarill to stagger on the spot, opting to finish it off with a powerful uppercut. The uppercut caused the Azumarill to be flung up into the air, with the Frozen Claw Pokémon smacking it to the ground with a quick jab from its claw, sending it crashing into the ground as the Gym Leader was taken aback by what she was seeing. "Such power…they weren't kidding when they said that Delta Species were a cut above the rest."

"Indeed, which is why you'll soon regret underestimating me." Natasha smiled at her opponent, watching her recall her Azumarill.

"If you think you've won, then you're the one underestimating me…" Harmony retorted, opting to send out her Gardevoir as a plan soon formed in her mind. Opting to take the careful approach, the Gardevoir began to collect her thoughts, her mind an open canvas as her mental energy was bolstered from the internal meditation. Scizor on the other hand, anticipated a powerful counterattack, so it opted to spin on the spot in a frantic dance of sorts, greatly bolstering its spirit and attack power. From there, it lunged at the Gardevoir at blindingly quick speeds, only for the Embrace Pokémon to use her psychic power to ensnare the Delta Species, lifting it up into the air before slamming it into the ground. Slowly getting up off the floor, the Scizor brushed the dirt off its body before lunging at the Gardevoir, its claw encased in a shadowy aura. But the Gardevoir opted to stand in place, her eyes glowing a purplish-red as she took the brunt of the attack and was sent flying to the ground, knocked out from a critical hit as a shadowy specter emerged from her body and dove towards the Scizor. It phased through the Delta Species, draining it of all its energy as it promptly collapsed to the floor, a startled expression on Natasha's face.

"S-Scizor! Are you okay?" She called out to it, quickly running up to is side to check up on it. Sighing in relief that her ally will be fine, she opted to recall it before pondering on what to send out next. Noticing that Harmony had recalled her Gardevoir and sent out her Sylveon, an idea formed in her mind, the purple-haired girl making up her mind. "Alright Vespiquen, show me what you've got!"

Sending out her next Pokémon, the Vespiquen hovered in the air, eyeing up the Sylveon as it was confident in her chances of victory. Taking a page from Gardevoir's book, the Reactor Pokémon opted to collect her thoughts, bolstering her memory before proceeding to point her honeycombs at the Sylveon and fire a relentless stream of fire at her foe, striking it head on as the nimble Pokémon was flung back a few feet. The Sylveon winced in pain as the attack left a few small burns on its body, only for the Intertwining Pokémon to take out a Lum Berry it had kept hidden and quickly ate it, chirping in relief as the pain from its burns subsided quickly. Now revitalized, it stood firmly in place and began shouting at the top of its lungs, the Vespiquen covering her ears in pain as the loud shouting echoed throughout the room. A little dazed and disorientated, the Reactor Pokémon was vulnerable to a follow-up attack from her foe, the Sylveon conjuring up a Shadow Ball and flung it at her opponent, the attack landing a direct hit on the bee's metallic body. Now that she can focus on the task at hand, the Vespiquen hovered in the air and began charging up a lustrous silver orb of power, within her honeycombs, pointing them at the Intertwining Pokémon and fired the Flash Cannon once it was fully charged up. The bright orb of energy struck the Sylveon, sending it flying back several feet towards its trainers feet as it attempted to get back up, but wasn't able to, its eyes closing shut as it fell into a deep sleep.

"Hah…hah…it's been a while since I was pushed this far." The brown-haired woman commented, recalling her Sylveon before opting to send out her Togekiss. "But now it's time for me to make a comeback; Air Slash, Togekiss!"

"Toge~" The Togekiss chirped, conjuring up a series of blades made out of air and flung them at the Vespiquen, the attacks landing a direct hit. And though they weren't doing that much damage to the Reactor Pokémon, the successive attacks caused her to flinch momentarily on the spot, allowing the Jubilee Pokémon to follow up with a swift Aura Sphere. The Aura Sphere struck the Vespiquen head-on, causing her to stagger on the spot for a few moments before regaining her balance. Opting to go for a counterattack, the Reactor Pokémon generated static electricity in her hornlike projections, firing a wicked bolt of lightning at the Togekiss that struck it head on, paralyzing it with ease. The Vespiquen began charging up another Flash Cannon in the hopes of finishing off her opponent, unaware that the Togekiss' fingers were quickly waggling side-to-side. The Jubilee Pokémon saw its opponent fire her Flash Cannon at it, a smug smile on its face as its hands, and subsequently its body began glowing with a harsh light. Realizing too late what was about to happen, the Vespiquen was soon engulfed in the ensuing explosion, the entire area quivering from the powerful blast as both trainers struggled to keep their footing. When the smoke died down, the trainers saw that both their Pokémon were knocked out as a result of the explosion.

"You did well out there in your first battle, Vespiquen." Natasha complimented her ally, recalling her to her ball as she saw her opponent do the same. Quickly making up her mind, the purple-haired girl chose to send out her Zweilous, believing that all the training she had put in would pay off for her soon. The two-headed snake gazed at its opponent, the green fur along its back standing up straight as it saw Harmony select her final Pokéball and promptly sent out her Miltank. But the serpent would receive the surprise of a lifetime as they saw the brown-haired woman take out a ring from her pocket and place it over her wrist, pressing down on the keystone as the Miltank was promptly surrounded by a multicolor orb of light. The orb shone profusely for a few moments, before promptly shattering as the Mega-Miltank stomped onto the field, letting out a low bellow as a wonderous power coursed through her body. the ball on the end of her tail grew dramatically, making it resemble a wrecking ball in terms of stature; additionally, her horns also grew quite a bit, ending in sharp tips that could shatter rocks with ease.

The Zweilous was startled by this sudden evolution, and opted to psyche itself up for the battle, only to get enveloped by a bright white light itself. Its body began morphing slowly, growing to twice its initial size as the Delta Species continued to evolve before its trainer's eyes. Soon enough, the light died down, revealing the fact that Zweilous had evolved into Delta Hydreigon. The green fur that had covered the majority of its body now sprouted off into two winglike appendages, the frill around its neck lined with small but sharp spines as the three-headed cobra let out a most intimidating hiss.

"W-Wow, you evolved…" Natasha commented, gazing at her companion before shooting a determined glare at Harmony. "Let's finish this, Hydreigon! Use Earth Power!"

Letting out another loud hiss, the Hydreigon called upon the earth's power; the ground beneath it quivering and quaking as the Miltank was struck from below by a geyser of energy. However, the bipedal cow was able to withstand the attack and coiled up into a ball, quickly rolling in place as she barreled towards the Tyrant Cobra Pokémon, striking it head on. The Hydreigon was knocked to the side and got back up quickly, only to turn around and see the Miltank turn around and roll towards it at greater speeds. It narrowly dodged the attack, rearing its body and proceeded to spew a barrage of sludge from all three heads, striking the Milk Cow Pokémon and halted her attack. Brushing the leftover sludge off her body, the Miltank grabbed her tail and slammed it on the ground, creating a powerful tremor that halted the Tyrant Cobra Pokémon in place, enabling the Miltank to follow up with a powerful Zen Headbutt, sending the cobra flying back several feet. Normally, such an attack from a Mega Pokémon would've knocked an ordinary Pokémon out, but Hydreigon is no ordinary Pokémon. Slowly getting back up, it reared its entire body and let out an ear-slitting hiss, creating a series of soundwaves from all three mouths that were colored a vivid purple. The purple soundwaves struck the Miltank, sending it flying towards its trainers' feet as it crumpled on the floor, devolving back into its regular form as it couldn't continue fighting anymore.

"A-Amazing…" Harmony commented in awe, recalling her Miltank as she made her way to Natasha. "You know, when I first met you, I had a hunch that you would go far in the Torren League. It seems I was right on the money; you've earned the Paragon Badge."

The older woman handed her victorious opponent a metal badge, shaped like a traditional love heart and was a vivid pink. "We did it Hydreigon; we've earned the Paragon Badge!" Natasha cheered, with her companion letting out a quick hiss of joy.

"Once you and your Pokémon have rested up, I suggest you head on over to Kepler City for the next Gym Badge. The leader, Anastasia, is a close friend of mine. I'm sure she'd be more than happy to challenge you to a battle." The brown-haired woman informed her, the door to the gym opening as a familiar figure approached the duo.

"M-Miss Harmony? I was going to challenge you to a Gym Battle, but something's happened…" The figure commented, the duo turning to see Nora standing there patiently.

"Nora? What's gotten you concerned?" Harmony inquired.

"The hospital to the north of here…the power got cut out all of a sudden." The green-haired girl informed her, a look of concern growing on the older woman's face.

"T-The power got cut? But that's impossible; the system's protected! I…I need to investigate this right now!" She stated, quickly making her way out of the gym as the duo watched her go.

"H-How's it going, Nora?" Natasha asked her, a little shaken up over what she just heard.

"I'm fine, thank you very much…" Nora replied, though the former could tell that she was still guilt-stricken over what she had said to Damian earlier. "Once your Pokémon have recovered, do you mind lending Harmony and I a hand? I've got a gut feeling that one of the cult's is behind this turn of events."

"Sure thing; I'll be over there as soon as I can." The purple-haired girl pledged, the duo going their separate ways as they began to prepare for the worst-case scenario.

**My sincerest apologies for the late update, but I was finishing off my Rejuvenation fanfic. Now that I've completed it, I should have more than enough time to work on this fic and my other one. Thank you all for your patience and understanding, I'll see you all in the next chapter.**

**Acquired Delta Pokémon:**

**D. Venusaur**

**D. Charizard**

**D. Blastoise**

**D. Dugtrio**

**D. Crustle (Cake) **

**D. Graveler**

**D. Ambipom**

**D. Muk**

**D. Solosis**

**D. Scizor**

**D. Volcarona**

**D. Sunflora**

**D. Gardevoir (female)**

**D. Gallade**

**D. Quagsire**

**D. Pichu**

**D. Hydreigon**

**D. Pidgey**

**D. Golett**

**D. Plusle**

**D. Minun**

**D. Lotad**

**D. Heatmor**

**D. Emolga**

**D. Drifblim**

**D. Roserade**

**D. Munchlax**

**D. Haxorus**

**D. Weezing**

**D. Dunsparce**

**D. Clamperl x2 (one male, one female)**

**D. Vespiquen**


	16. Chapter 16

**A bit of a breather chapter this time, as it'll have more of a focus on the plot as opposed to Pokémon battles. However, it'll be a pivotal moment in the story, so it should be an enjoyable read for everyone.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon Insurgence; it is the property of its creators.**

Following her outstanding victory over Harmony, Natasha had made her way to the Pokémon Center for a quick check-up. Once the check-up was completed, the purple-haired girl thanked the nurse before taking her Pokémon back and quickly made her way to the hospital that Nora had told her about. After all, if someone was tampering with the power there, it would spell trouble for all the patients there. Sure enough, she arrived at the hospital, only to be greeted by a familiar face.

"Hey Natasha, I figured you'd make your way here!" Damian called out to her, the duo giving each other a firm handshake.

"How's it going Damian? I hope you're feeling alright after…" Natasha smiled at him.

"I know where you're going with this; truth be told, I'm not quite ready to forgive her just yet. What she said to me was really painful after all. However, I'm willing to put it aside for the moment in order to solve the problem at hand." The white-haired boy replied calmly, the duo making their way inside the hospital. As the purple-haired girl had expected, the building was pitch-black what with the power being sabotaged. "I saw Nora and that other woman, Harmony I think, go down into the basement. Let's proceed with caution; we don't know who could be behind this."

"Got it." The purple-haired girl answered firmly, the duo walking slowly down the stairs before stepping into the basement. From there, they joined up with Nora and Harmony, the group of four on high alert as the sound of footsteps made their way towards the heroes.

"I should've known that you'd all come here; heroes tend to be the most predictable people of them all." A voice sneered at them, the figure standing before the heroes as they saw that it was Taen of the Perfection Cult.

"You! You're that creep who assaulted Orion back at Suntouched City! You've got some nerve showing your face around here…" Harmony narrowed her eyes at the blue-haired man.

"Tch, you're still upset about that? And I thought Natasha was the one hellbent on revenge. Speaking of which, it's a _pleasure_ to see you again…" Taen replied, his greeting laced with sarcasm.

"I'm charmed as well to see you again…" Natasha opted to reply sarcastically as well.

"I don't know why you're tampering with the hospitals power supply, but we're gonna put a stop to your twisted scheme!" Nora declared boldly.

"Don't worry young lady, we'll turn the power back on." A second voice called out to the heroes, the group turning to see Reukra approaching them. "All we want to do is have a discussion with you."

"R-Reukra?! What are you doing here? Why are you doing this?!" Harmony exclaimed in surprise, taking a step back. Based on her tone of voice, Natasha suspected that they knew each other before this whole cult business began.

"A pleasure to see you again, Harmony. I want to make a deal with you…" The well-dressed man began.

"A deal?! You're using the lives of the people here as a bargaining chip to further your agenda? How could you do this, Reukra? You weren't like this before. You used to be—" The brown-haired woman began chewing him out, only for the older man to raise his hand in the air.

"Save the chit chat for another time, I've yet to explain my terms of the deal. I'm not the person that you knew back then; I'm the leader of the Perfection Cult and I'll do anything to achieve my goal." Reukra stated, his former friend opting to listen to his terms despite everything inside her telling her not to. "Anyway, the reason we're here is that we wish to make contact with the patient named Malde."

"That's my father's room, Reukra; there's no chance in hell I'm letting you near him!" Harmony retorted viciously.

"I figured you'd say that. However, we have your father's best interests at heart, believe it or not. We know he's sick, and we know what his condition is. We can help each other this time around. Don't believe me? I'll turn the power back on as a gesture of good faith." The well-dressed man stated, putting the various plugs back in and flipped the switch, the basement lights turning on as the hospital was illuminated once more. "There we go; the power's back on like you wanted. Now we can talk about helping your father out."

"Alright, I'll take you to his room. But I'll be keeping a very close eye on you, got it?!" The gym leader conceded, narrowing her eyes at him as the duo went up the basement stairs, with Taen following behind them.

"Am I the only one who wants to know how Harmony knew a cult leader?" Nora inquired out loud.

"Well I do remember Professor Sylvan mentioning that Reukra was a former classmate of hers back in university. Perhaps Harmony was in their class as well." Natasha deduced.

"Sounds pretty likely. Come on Natasha, we should offer support just in case they turn on her." Damian called out, shooting Nora a quick glance before making his way upstairs.

"H-He's still upset with me after what I said back then; can't say I blame him. I just hope that we can put this sordid affair behind us soon..." The green-haired girl commented sadly, with Natasha resting her hand on her shoulder.

"Give him time, I'm sure it'll work out for us in the end." She consoled her friend, with Nora shooting her a small smile before quietly making her way upstairs. But just as Natasha was about to follow suit, she heard what sounded like a mesmerizing wail, the sort that a ghost would use to lure its next victim. Turning to the side, she saw what looked to be a Chandelure hovering before her, the Pokémon having been obscured by the darkness before. It's body resembled that of an antique chandelier, colored an alluring gold as its candles shone brightly in the light. Additionally, there was a large flame burning brightly inside the glass casing that made up its head, with various jewel-encrusted pendants hanging off its limbs. It was evident to her that it was a Delta Species, but what exactly was it doing here? Eying up the girl calmly, the Chandelure extended one of its arms towards her as its flames made contact with her cheek. But rather than burn her, or destroy her soul, it…cleansed her of any and all lingering doubts welling up inside her.

"Thanks, I guess I needed that…" The purple-haired girl chuckled lightly, amused over the irony of the situation. Regular Chandelure were banned from hospitals due to the supposed rumors about their soul-destroying fire, whereas the Delta Chandelure had fire that could heal humans. In any case, she wouldn't say no to another companion. "Hey…you want to tag along? I'm sure you'd fit in well with the others." She offered.

"Chan~" The Chandelure chirped happily, accepting the offer as it entered a Pokéball that the purple-haired girl held up. Pocketing it safely, Natasha quickly made her way upstairs to the second floor to join the others, only to see that Taen was nowhere in the room. Whatever the case, she was glad that she didn't have to put up with that insufferable twit.

"Are you crazy?! There's no way I'm letting you inject some weird chemical into my father! Who knows what concoction a psychopathic cultist like you would've created!" Harmony chewed out her former friend once more, with Natasha noticing the syringe full of red fluid in Reukra's hand.

"Very well, you can do it. as a matter of fact, I'll even let you analyze it." Reurka conceded, handing over the syringe to the gym leader as she took the time to study its contents. "Do you know why we wish to use your father, Harmony? It's because Malde was around during the original Delta incident in Hoenn."

"Delta incident?" Damian inquired.

"It was an incident that occurred around thirty years ago in Hoenn. After Deoxys was defeated by Mega Rayquaza over Mossdeep City, the people started to grow sick with strange fevers. Everything ended up being fine, but the test results showed that everybody's DNA was slightly tainted. Not enough to pose any significant risks, but enough to be noticed if you looked closely." The cult leader explained, shooting a quick look at the elderly man sleeping peacefully in bed. "The point I'm getting at is that Malde's body may react differently to viruses. One that I have particular interest in would be—"

"Wait a minute, this is just the HP strain of Pokérus." Harmony stated, having finished her analysis. "We've known about this for years."

"Exactly. In terms of infections, Pokérus is the most unique of them all. Rather than hinder the host, it provides a great benefit to them by enabling them to grow stronger. A case of mutualism, as the scientific world would call it." Reukra replied. "As you've deduced, the vial contains the HP strain of Pokérus. Normally, the virus wouldn't affect ordinary people, but it might help your father out on account of his tainted DNA. If my prediction is correct, it could heal him and even lengthen his lifespan. With some more testing, it could even be the key to achieving immortality!"

"I-Incredible…" Nora commented in awe. As much as she hated to admit it, Reukra's idea sounds very clever on paper.

"How do I know you're not spinning some pretty tale for us all? How do I know you're not lying?" The brown-haired woman narrowed her eyes at her former friend.

"You don't. I owe you Harmony, and our interest happen to cross at the moment. You want your father healed, and this could be a breakthrough for our cults' research. Consider it a business transaction if you will. Besides, if it works on him, it may work on you as well." The cult leader attempted to convince her.

"Well, you're right about the DNA thing. My father told me that a long time ago. I'm willing to try this out, but if you dare think about double-crossing me…" She narrowed her eyes at him, quietly approaching her father as she took the time to inject the virus into his bloodstream.

"S-Sorry, but I've never been good around needles…I'm gonna wait outside." Damian admitted sheepishly, quietly making his way out the room. Once he was out the room, Harmony proceeded to continue the procedure, injecting the virus into Malde as he continued to sleep peacefully. Soon enough, it was over, with Harmony proceeding to dispose of the used syringe safely as she saw her father slowly get out of bed.

"Dad, you're awake!" The brown-haired woman quickly rushed to his side. "Are you okay?"

However, he didn't respond to her question, a low gurgling noise escaping from his mouth as the young woman stepped back in surprise. From there, the old man's body began twisting and contorting, as he began the slow process of morphing into a half-human, half-Deoxys creature. The sight was both mesmerizing, yet sickening at the same time; half his face was warped into that of a Deoxys, his left arm morphed into a pair of tentacles while his right leg was morphed as well. Natasha quickly covered her mouth so as to not regurgitate from the grotesque sight, while Harmony was horrified at what she was witnessing. But just as she was about to scream, Reukra quickly made his way to her side and hushed her up.

"_Shhhhhhhhhh! We must talk quietly, lest we provoke him."_ He told her.

"_What did you do to my father?! This wasn't supposed to happen!"_ She whispered harshly at him.

"_I'm not sure myself, but he looks a bit like Deoxys. It makes sense when you think about it. After all; Deoxys is said to be a virus from outer space, perhaps it was the origin of Pokérus?" _Reukra replied.

"_You better fix him, or I'll—" _Harmony demanded.

"_I think he's been healed, and he should live longer. The problem however, is that his mind may've been impacted by the virus. Seems the experiment needs some fine-tuning."_ The cult leader cut her off, keeping an eye on the creature as it surveyed the room and it's occupants, thankful that Natasha and Nora were smart enough to keep quiet. _"As long as we're quiet, we can—"_

"Hey guys! Did the needle go in okay?" Damian called out, entering the room once more as the creature was alerted by his presence. Before the boy could even do as much as scream, the creature lunged at him, scooping him up in his tentacles and quickly fled the area.

"Damian!" Natasha called out, the purple-haired girl taken aback by what she just saw.

"Tch, what an idiot…" Reukra scoffed, seemingly unfazed by what just happened.

"This is all your fault, you know! You better find a way to fix this!" Harmony scolded him.

"This didn't go as I had hoped it will, but it was still quite the breakthrough. If he really is immortal, then I'm sure we can find a way to use it without the drawbacks." The cult leader continued.

"Do you not care at all that a young child was kidnapped?! What about my father? What did you do to him?" The gym leader continued to chastise him.

"Your father is fine. In fact, he's the healthiest he's ever been. As for the boy, I'm sure he'll be fine. Sure, he may get infected, but the Pokérus helps, not hinders. And with that, I'll take my leave. I've got an important appointment with another Gym Leader after all." Reukra brushed off her concerns, opting to leave the room as Harmony shot a glare at the figure.

"That jackass. After all Sylvan and I have done for him, you'd think he'd be a bit more appreciative." She grumbled to herself, before making her way to the teenage girls. "Listen, we'll find your friend, I promise. Come with me, Nora. We'll try to figure out where my father took him."

"I'd…I'd like that very much." Nora replied, a little shaken up over what had happened.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Natasha offered.

"As a matter of fact, there is. That Gym Leader Reukra mentioned might be my friend, Anastasia, the leader of Kepler City. She's a brilliant mechanic, but she's always been willing to take any commission if it provides her with sufficient money for her research. I'm worried that she may have gotten herself into something dangerous, so I'd greatly appreciate it if you could check up on her." Harmony requested.

"Sure thing, it'll also give me a chance to win another Gym Badge." The purple-haired girl accepted the offer. "Good luck you two; if I find either of them, I'll let you know right away!"

"That'll be appreciated, thank you very much. Come Nora, we should get started." The gym leader told her, exiting the hospital room as the green-haired girl gave her friend a solemn look.

"We're going to save him, no matter what! I just know we will." Natasha replied firmly, holding her friend's hands firmly. She saw what looked like the faintest of smiles appear on Nora's face, as if she believed what she was saying.

"Thanks Natasha…" She replied, promptly exiting the room with Natasha following behind, the duo about to separate once more as the purple-haired girl continued her journey.

**0000**

The journey to Kepler City was fairly easy for the most part; apart from the odd trainer battle, there was nothing that proved to be a challenge for Natasha. Then again, the road to Kepler City was shorter than she expected. Route 10 was just like the last couple of routes she traversed through; lush patches of grass, tall trees and crystal-clear lakes populated the area. But it was the part afterwards that caught her by surprise, a large patch of water dubbed Maelstrom 9. Supposedly, it was named that due to the abnormally high number of storms that populate the area, though nobody had an idea why they're such a common occurrence. Thankfully, today was one of those rare days where the weather was clear, with very few clouds in the sky. Natasha spent the next ten or so minutes traversing over the calm waters, taking the occasional glance at the sky in the event that the weather takes a turn for the worse. Luckily for her, it remained calm and tranquil as she made her way to the other side and hopped off her Inflatable Lapras.

"Alright everyone, we're nearly there. Why don't we take the time to stretch our legs and relax before entering the big city? Just don't stray too far, okay?" The purple-haired girl suggested, taking out her Pokéballs and sent out all her Delta Pokémon, the rambunctious horde of Pokémon making the most out of their free time. Natasha paid notable attention to her Delta Golem, Raichu, Reuniclus and Pidgeot, the four Pokémon having evolved during their training session before the battle against Harmony. The Delta Golem was considerably larger than it was as a Graveler, with four sturdy arms that could shatter rock as well as two pairs of legs that held up its heavy figure. The right side of its body was a light-brown, while the left side was a pitch-black, the two colors mixing well with each other. Its big blue crystal continued to shine brightly in the morning sun, the bulky Pokémon opting to sit idly and watch its companions frolic with each other, including Delta Raichu. The Flying Mouse Pokémon was playing tag with Drifblim, Weezing and Vespiquen, its innate speed giving it a slight advantage. It's two tails were spinning rapidly in a circle like a helicopter rotor, while its big, fluffy ears helped it locate its opponents. It had what looked like a natural set of lenses over its eyes that provided them with sufficient protection against high winds, while wearing what looked like a scarf made from its navy and white fur.

While those four were minding their own business, the Delta Pidgeot was busy preening its own feathers, removing and specks of dust and grime that got caught in them. It now sported a magnificent red crest atop its head, no doubt a way to intimidate its foes. Its long, reptilian tail swayed calmly in the air, the tuft of feathers at the end making a light _'swish'_ with every flick. Its chest was covered in a thick brown fur of sorts that it took special care in keeping clean, as if its appearance were vital to finding a suitable mate for it. But as Natasha opted to lie back and begin thinking to herself, she was soon joined by Delta Reuniclus, the Reanimating Pokémon opting to meditate as well. Its body was now considerably larger than before, it's two rocky hands connected to its body by a pair of long arms made out of small brown pebbles. Its intelligence has tripled upon evolving, enabling it to think up a series of calculated plans to ensure its victory. The purple-haired girl noticed how her Lotad, Munchlax, Golett and two Clamperl have yet to evolve, but she could always sneak in a private training session before the battle against Anastasia.

Natasha spent the next hour or so thinking to herself about her journey so far, and how she was always presented with more questions than answers. It was while she was thinking to herself that she stumbled onto a question that cropped up in her mind recently; what happened that had made Reukra desire perfection, to the point that he would alienate his closest friends in the pursuit of his dream? A theory that she had developed is that he attempted to challenge the Champion of Torren for their position but was defeated in a humiliating manner. If so, then that would explain a lot of his actions, between the Delta Species and new Mega Evolutions. But her thoughts soon shifted to that of Damian, an immense sadness welling up inside her. Despite only knowing him for a short while, he felt like a younger brother to her, always looking to her for a solution to their problems. Not to say that he couldn't pull his own weight; after all he was able to befriend the mythical Shaymin. But the events of that day at the library still played in her mind; if only Nora didn't snap at him in fear, then this whole affair could've been avoided. But now wasn't the time to dwell on the past; Nora is going about and beyond to atone for her transgression, and she needed her friend to back her up when the going gets rough. "Okay everyone, our break's over! Time to finish out journey to Kepler City." She called out, her companions chirping happily at her as she took the time to recall them all to their balls. Brushing the loose blades of grass off her outfit, the purple-haired girl put her balls into her bag before picking it up and began the final leg of her trek to Kepler City.

When she arrived at the city, she was taken aback by its sheer size. As the third largest city in the region, behind Suntouched and Helios, it served as the technological and scientific heart of Torren. There were various factories and laboratories throughout the area, were new discoveries were made for the sake of improving the lives of Torren's residents, both people and Pokémon. Additionally, there were also a few recycling plants in the city where scrap metal and the like were recycled for the sake of keeping the region clean and healthy. Standing in the back of the city, atop a sizable hill was the Kelper Gym, with what looked like a sizable observatory to the left of the building. Going under the assumption that Anastasia was inside the observatory, Natasha began the quick trek to the building, entering through the sliding doors as she saw what looked like a mild commotion inside.

"…I get what you're saying ma'am, but you should take a break once in a while. Between working as a Gym Leader, a researcher and an engineer, it's a miracle that you haven't collapsed from exhaustion." One of the scientists was arguing with her superior.

"I can't take a break right now, I'm in the middle of a side-project that's worth a lot of money. I'm sure you know how important it is that we keep our main project as well-funded as we can." The second woman brushed off her subordinates concerns. She appeared to be middle-aged and was fairly tall, had dark brown skin and medium length black hair that reached below her shoulders. Her outfit consisted of a yellow set of overalls with a long-sleeved white shirt underneath them, with splotches of oil and grime coating the overalls. Additionally, she wore black, steel-capped boots that kept her feet safe in the event that a hunk of metal fell onto the floor.

"I understand. Just, be careful, alright?" The scientist requested.

"I'll keep it in mind." The middle-aged woman chuckled lightly, turning to see that a newcomer had arrived at the observatory. "Why hello there. The name's Anastasia, young lady."

"A pleasure to meet you ma'am, the name's Natasha. I'm an acquaintance of Harmony." The purple-haired girl introduced herself.

"It's been quite some time since I last saw her; oh, I still remember what the two of us would get up to back at university…" Anastasia sighed whimsically, as Natasha raised an eyebrow in response. Could this mean that she was also a classmate of Reukra's? If so, then that would explain why he asked for her help on a project. "…Now then, what is it you came here for?"

"Two things; firstly, I'd like to challenge you to a gym battle, but that can but put aside for later. The second and more important matter is that Harmony wanted me to tell you that the Perfection Cult could be after you, who knows what they plan on doing to you." Natasha alerted her elder.

"Don't get me wrong, I appreciate your kind gesture, but I'm more than capable of handling myself…" The older woman replied, though Natasha had a feeling that she was hiding something. "As for your challenge, I'm more than happy to take you on now. I'm a little exhausted from working my side-project, and a battle could help reinvigorate me."

"In that case, let's not keep you—" The purple-haired girl called out, only for a loud burst of thunder to interrupt her. "W-What the?! Where did this storm come from?"

"I don't know, but we better check it out…" Anastasia suggested, the duo making their way outside the observatory and were taken aback by what they were seeing. The entire city was assaulted by a relentless storm, the reservoirs overflowing with water as the citizens quickly retreated back to their homes. "T-This isn't right…usually the storms stay around Maelstrom 9 instead of approaching the city. It can't be a natural occurrence."

"You're right, Anastasia. This storm isn't a natural one…" A familiar yet sinister voice called out, the duo turning to see the legendary Lugia descending to the ground, with Audrey sitting atop its back. "It's been a while, hasn't it Anastasia?"

"Audrey…I can't say I'm surprised you're the one behind this." The middle-aged woman hissed at the cult leader.

"Can't you see it, our plan has officially been put into action. Soon, my Lugia's storms will flood the entire world." Audrey declared boldly, only for Natasha to shoot a glare back at her.

"What does flooding the entire world do for you? What would be left to rule over once your plan succeeds? Did you think any of this through?!" She shot back, attracting the woman's attention.

"You're an inquisitive little snowflake, aren't you? I didn't come this far only to reveal my plan to you that easily." The white-haired woman smirked back at her.

"I don't understand…I thought your little group worshipped Kyogre." The black-haired woman commented.

"Oh, we do worship Kyogre, but it's true value is only revealed in specific circumstances. Those conditions are being created as we speak. I'd call upon you to stop me, but you'd be too wrapped up in saving the townsfolk to stop me." Audrey replied, briefly turning her head to face the overflowing reservoirs. "Tell me, have you heard of thalassophobia?"

"I think I have…isn't it an intense fear of the ocean?" Natasha answered.

"Very good, my little snowflake; thalassophobia is an intense fear of the deep blue sea. Soon…I shall remind humanity where that very fear came from." She warned the duo, gesturing her Lugia to take flight as the massive beast took to the skies and flew towards Maelstrom 9.

"Well that's fantastic…Audrey decided to make her big play and I can't do a thing about it. after all, I've got to keep the townsfolk safe." Anastasia muttered to herself.

"Then let me take her on; I've defeated her before, and I can do it again!" The purple-haired girl declared, catching the older woman off-guard.

"You can't be serious, how could a kid like you defeat a cult leader?!" She exclaimed in surprise.

"I know it sounds unbelievable, but it's the truth. It was a life-or-death situation for me and winning was the only way out." Natasha stated, gazing at her elder with determination in her eyes.

"Well you don't have the eyes of a liar, so I'll let you go after her. You may need this in case things get dicey." Anastasia stated, handing over a scuba suit and oxygen tank to the purple-haired girl. "My gut tells me that she's probably gone to the Abyssal Cult's hideout, and I think that's somewhere within Maelstrom 9. I don't think I need to tell you about how dangerous it'll be down there."

"Don't worry, I won't let you down, I promise!" Natasha pledged, opting to make her way to Maelstrom 9 as a series of thoughts crossed her mind. Today, she was going to finish things between her and Audrey. If she fails here, then Torren—no, the entire world would be doomed to drown under a never-ending storm.

**That's about it for this chapter, the next one will cover the infiltration of the Abyssal base as well as the final confrontation with Audrey. I hope you're all looking forward to it when it gets released. Thank you all for reading and supporting my story, I'll see you all in the next chapter.**

**Acquired Delta Pokémon:**

**D. Venusaur**

**D. Charizard**

**D. Blastoise**

**D. Dugtrio**

**D. Crustle (Cake) **

**D. Golem**

**D. Ambipom**

**D. Muk**

**D. Reuniclus**

**D. Scizor**

**D. Volcarona**

**D. Sunflora**

**D. Gardevoir (female)**

**D. Gallade**

**D. Quagsire**

**D. Raichu**

**D. Hydreigon**

**D. Pidgeot**

**D. Golett**

**D. Plusle**

**D. Minun**

**D. Lotad**

**D. Heatmor**

**D. Emolga**

**D. Drifblim**

**D. Roserade**

**D. Munchlax**

**D. Haxorus**

**D. Weezing**

**D. Dunsparce**

**D. Clamperl x2 (one male, one female)**

**D. Vespiquen**

**D. Chandelure**


	17. Chapter 17

**Welcome to the next chapter of Pokémon Insurgence, and boy is it a thrilling one. Today marks the end of the Abyssal Cult, but you can be sure that they won't go down without a fight!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon Insurgence; it is the property of its creators.**

Having spent the last hour or so training up her Pokémon for the final showdown against Audrey, Natasha sighed in relief upon seeing that her training has born fruit. Specifically, the five Pokémon that she needed to evolve were able to evolve in time, the newly powered up Pokémon gazing at her calmly. The first one to evolve was her Golett, now evolved into an imposing Golurk. It's bronze armor was a lot more ornate now, a red feathered crest perched atop its head as a red cape billowed behind it in the cool breeze.

The next Pokémon to have evolved was her Lotad, which had evolved into a Lombre, before evolving into a Ludicolo with the help of a Water Stone. The Ludicolo sported a magnificent grey beard that reached the bottom of its dark grey robes. Atop its head was an intricate, royal blue wizards' hat, with a rim that was deep enough to hold a modest amount of water in it. After that was the Munchlax, which had evolved into a large but friendly Snorlax. The gentle giant had small trees growing out of its back and shoulders, a process that wasn't painful at all to the massive Pokémon. These trees were able to bear fruit, with the Snorlax using this to sustain itself for the day.

And finally, there were the two Clamperl who had both evolved into different Pokémon. The male Clamperl evolved into a Huntail, the dark-blue and black Pokémon letting out a low hiss from its mouth. On occasion, it would breath out small bursts of blue, draconic fire as a means of letting off some steam. Though it preferred to be alone, it harbored no hostility at all towards its comrades. As for the female Clamperl, it evolved into a Gorebyss, with the reddish-pink Pokémon sitting on the ground idly. It's back and tail were covered in hard dragon scales that protected it from hungry predators, the two seashells on its chest just as durable. Though it was a peaceful Pokémon for the most part, it was known to attack its prey with it's thin mouth and drain their body fluids, a habit shared with regular Gorebyss.

Once the training was finished, the purple-haired girl gave her comrades some quick but efficient treatment before recalling them to their balls. From there, she made her way towards Maelstrom 9, where her nemesis was awaiting her challenge. The rain bucketed down intensely, with the girl having no choice but to put her umbrella away as it was doing virtually nothing to keep her dry. However, she soon arrived at the edge of Maelstrom 9, the large body of water overflowing onto land. Putting on the scuba suit she was given, Natasha dove into the cold water and began swimming around the place. Almost immediately, she was taken aback by the beautiful sight before her; dozens of aquatic Pokémon were swimming without a care in the world, unaffected by the chaos brewing above them. After all, she was sure they wouldn't mind additional territory to control should Audrey get her way. Opting to focus on the mission, Natasha spent the next fifteen or so minutes searching the area for an opening, her eyes widening slightly at what looked like an artificial cave entrance a few meters deeper. Swimming through it, the purple-haired girl rose up to the surface, only to find herself at her destination.

The Abyssal Base was as cold and foreboding as she had expected, the perfect place for a bunch of maniacs who wish to flood the entire world. The front lobby had several machines built to survey the various oceans of the world, though what they were searching for was a mystery to the purple-haired girl. She thought about taking her first steps into the base, only to notice what looked like a set of blue tiles on the floor, causing her to stop right there.

"This must be an alarm of sorts; thank goodness I opted to look before I leaped." Natasha mused to herself, mulling over how she could deal with the obstacle before her. It was then that she remembered it, that strand of hair Damian had gifted her a while ago. Didn't he mention something about it falling off an Abyssal Cultist who took him hostage? Whatever the case, she now figured out a way to bypass this obstacle. Playing a few notes on her Quartz Flute, the purple-haired girl was soon greeted by her trusted friend Mew and explained the situation to them. Letting out a quick chirp, the New Species Pokémon used its power to transform Natasha into an Abyssal cultist, the latter expressing her gratitude as she proceeded to make her way past the tiles and deeper into the base. From there, the disguised teen found herself in the heart of the base, with several warp tiles littered around the place as a means of traversing the area. Additionally, there were more of those blue tiles on the floor, as well as a set of green tiles that we beside an entrance to a room at the back.

'Still getting used to the tiles, huh?" A voice called out, with Natasha turning to see an Abyssal cultist approaching her.

"Y-Yeah, I just got transferred here…" She bluffed, hoping that the grunt would buy it.

"Don't worry, I'm still getting used to it, but I'll tell you what I know. Those tiles? They're part of a forcefield system that Audrey implemented a while ago. There are three fields currently in use; one for Audrey herself, one for the scientists, and one for the grunts like us." The cultist informed her. "As for what you're supposed to do…I assume you can ask around if someone needs assistance."

"I see. Thank you for the useful info." Natasha bowed slightly in gratitude, the disguised teen making her way through the base as a plan brewed in her mind. If she wanted to confront Audrey, then she would need to find something that has her DNA on it, but that was easier said than done. For now, she figured that obtaining a scientist's DNA would help her make some progress through the base, so she opted to begin her search there. A few minutes later, she found herself in a fairly large room that had the hallway to the next room blocked off by a purple set of tiles. But that wasn't the highlight of the room; no, what was the standout feature was a red computer built into the wall, hanging over a table that had a set of clothes lying on them. Taking a closer look at the clothes, Natasha saw that they resembled that of a scientists' uniform, a small hair embedded on the collar. Picking it up, she handed it over to Mew who promptly absorbed it, before using its power to transform its comrade, the purple-haired girl now disguised as a scientist. Glancing at the purple tiles, she opted to make her way there, but was halted by an invisible forcefield.

"Drat, this isn't the right one!" She cursed under her breath, now knowing that this forcefield could only be bypassed by Audrey herself. No matter, she was able to access more parts of the base now that she was disguised as a scientist, the purple-haired girl using the various maps on the wall to find out where her destination was. Eventually, she made her way to the room where the scientists were stationed, with the head scientist narrowing his eyes at her.

"And where have you been, young lady? You were supposed to be here fifteen minutes ago!" He demanded an answer.

"S-Sorry sir; I was doing research on Delta Pokémon of the Water-Type for Audrey. They could be of use to our cause." Natasha made up an excuse, with the head scientist staring at her for a moment before conceding.

"Fine, I'll let you off this time, but only this once. Anyway, we had just changed the password for the main computer system. This week, it'll be proteus, so make sure that you write it down somewhere." He told her, with the disguised girl bowing before him as he got back to his duties.

"Heheheh…sucked in, asshole." She muttered under her breath, a confident smirk on her face as she made her way back to where that red computer was. Logging on to it, she typed in the password and drained the sewer, hoping it would open up another area for her. Promptly logging off, the purple-haired girl quickly made her way throughout the base, before finding herself inside a small room that was divided in half by a small body of water. Hopping onto her Inflatable Lapras, Natasha reached the other side of the room, her eyes widening slightly upon gazing at the lone table. Lying there on its own was a spare change of clothes for Audrey herself, the purple-haired girl searching them before stumbling upon a strand of loose hair. Handing it over to Mew, she looked left and right before opting to take a deep sniff of the spare clothes, sighing deeply to herself as the Mew gazed at her in confusion. "A-Ah…sorry, I-I should compose myself in the future…" Natasha chuckled sheepishly, a blush present on her face.

"Mew-Mew~" The Mew chirped, using its power to transform its friend into the Abyssal leader herself. Natasha smirked to herself, realizing the immense power she had at her fingertips. Opting to make her way back to the purple forcefield from before, the purple-haired girl began her trek through the base. However, she decided to have a little bit of fun first; she would sneak up on unsuspecting cultists and clear her throat audibly, causing them to jump out of their seats in fright and promptly salute her. The best reactions were from the ones that were slacking off, the grunts rummaging through their stuff to make it look like they were working. This went on for twenty or so minutes before Natasha had her fill of fun, the purple-haired girl opting to get back to the task at hand and make her way beyond the purple forcefield. From there, she continued to walk through the hallway before approaching the deepest room of the facility, where she saw the real Audrey gazing upon a deep pool of water, with the legendary Kyogre kept inside a large crystal orb beside the pool.

"I see you're having a lot of fun masquerading as me…" Audrey commented, opting to maintain her focus on the pool of water before her as Natasha opted to have her disguise removed by Mew. "I'll concede that it was brave of you to infiltrate my underwater base; brave, but foolish of you…"

"It's over, Audrey. Call off your Lugia and end this madness now!" Natasha demanded, only for a quiet chuckle to escape from the older woman's mouth.

"And why would I? I'm on the cusp of victory, and there's nothing you can say to convince me otherwise." She continued, turning her head to face the teen. "Do you know that 97% of the ocean is unexplored? We know more about the moon than the thing that makes up most of this planet. A little humorous, don't you think?"

"Where are you going with this…?" The purple-haired girl inquired.

"Just think of all the wonders lurking below the depths; ancient civilizations, lost treasure, and incredibly powerful Pokémon. That reminds me, you know about the Aqua-Hoenn conflict, right?" Audrey inquired once more.

"Yeah, I learned about it back at the museum. You should know after all; you were there with us that day." Natasha retorted.

"Indeed I was; talk about a trip down memory lane. However, there's one part of the story that's been kept secret from the public, a secret that I was able to squeeze out of a member of Interpol through…intense interrogation. Following the aftermath of the storm, reports came of beachgoers finding tons of things that have been raised from the depths of the ocean. Most of it was unimportant junk like bottles and shoes, as well as the occasional bit of treasure. But the most important find was a never-before seen Pokémon; a squidlike creature that resembled a Tentacruel, but was much, much stronger. Some people thought it was an evolution of Tentacruel, one that would only occur in an environment with high water-pressure, while others suspected it to be an entirely different creature altogether." The Abyssal leader began her explanation, enamoring the teenage girl with the intriguing tale.

"So, was this creature a legendary Pokémon, along the likes of Kyogre and whatnot?" Natasha inquired. "What was its name? Its type? Where can I find one of these things?"

"My, an inquisitive little snowflake, are we? As much as I would like to answer them all, I'm afraid I'm unable to as of this moment. You see, the original specimen was released back into the ocean, but not before a few tests were performed on it. What this research found was that this creature wasn't one-of-a-kind; there were hundreds of them lurking in the depths of the sea. However, this whole event was kept hush-hush. It would be terrible if everyone knew about the creatures the oceans held. Everyone would go above and beyond to catch these monstrosities, and with good reason. But as you would expect; these creatures are much, much weaker out of the ocean." Audrey continued, turning once more to face Natasha. "I assume you know why we're after Kyogre?"

"I-I've heard tales about Kyogre being regarded as the god of the seas; perhaps you wish to use it in order to control all these deep-sea Pokémon you talked about." The purple-haired girl assumed.

"Looks like all those years in school paid off after all!" The older woman smiled, though it wasn't a warm one at all. "Kyogre itself is an incredibly powerful Pokémon, especially when it's powered up by the Blue Orb. But its true value lies in its title as the modern-day Poseidon. It can command and control the denizens of the sea to do its bidding; having Kyogre on its own would be great but having it _and_ an army of deep-sea creatures with power comparable to legendary Pokémon, would be even better. By then, the Abyssal Cult would be undefeatable. As we're speaking, Lugia is whipping up a storm powerful enough to cover the entire world, enabling my army to grow stronger than ever. Meanwhile, Kyogre is calling upon the first of my beasts from the ocean to appear before me; perhaps I'll even grant you a gaze upon this beast for being such a…worthy adversary."

"W-Wait, all of this would require a power source of immense—no, you couldn't have…" Natasha began, before the answer dawned upon her.

"Seems you answered your own question. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't be able to power up Kyogre and Lugia, but all that changed when I received a shard of the crystal that once powered the Augur and his Pokémon. Better it remain in my hands than in Jaern's, as the saying goes." The cult leader confirmed her suspicions.

"Now that's the one thing I'll have to concede; I wouldn't want the crystal in that bastard's hands at all." The purple-haired girl stated, her gaze softening slightly. "But is all of this worth it? What have you sacrificed in order to achieve this goal?"

Upon hearing that question, Audrey opted to face the pool of water once more, a low silence permeating in the area for a few moments. "I've lost everything in pursuit of this goal; a most respectable career, my child, and so much more…" She admitted, with Natasha opting to take a closer look at her, particularly, her hair. It reminded her of Damian's hair, but that couldn't be right, could it?

"In a way, I guess I know what it's like to lose something. I've lost almost all my memories, so I don't even know if I have a family out there, looking desperately for me. But that doesn't give you the right to flood the world in the quest for power. I will stop you here, even if it means facing Kyogre itself!"

"So you wish to stop me? Very well, I'll take care of you right now. Who knows, if you put up an entertaining fight, I'll keep you around. After all, you were more than comfortable enough to sniff my spare outfit…" Audrey smirked, causing the purple-haired girl to jump back in shock as a fierce blush appeared on her face.

"Y-You know about that?!" She exclaimed.

"No, I didn't. But your reaction gave it all away…" The older woman retorted. "In fact, I'm so confident in my victory that I wouldn't even need to use my other Pokémon. Kyogre itself should be more than enough to deal with you."

"If that's the case, then I'll defeat it within a few minutes!" Natasha boasted, opting to send out her Gardevoir, the Nuzzle Pokémon gazing calmly at the Kyogre.

"Oh, you naïve little girl…if only you knew the magnitude of your actions." Audrey stated, taking out the Blue Orb from her pocket and handed it to the Kyogre as an incredible power coursed through it. Within moments, the Sea Basin Pokémon had reverted into its Primal Forme, an ear-splitting roar escaping from its mouth as it conjured up a rainstorm as intense as the one outside the underwater base. Within moments, the Kyogre used its power to conjure up a wicked bolt of lightning, the powerful blast of electricity striking Gardevoir head on only for the latter to absorb the electricity without much struggle due to her special ability. The Nuzzle Pokémon, powered up by the lightning bolt opted to conjure up a series of smaller but equally as potent blasts of electricity, the barrage striking the Kyogre head on as a low growl of pain escaped from its mouth. However, it was far from defeated, the powerful deity channeling an ancient power to conjure up a glowing silver ball of energy before hurling it at the Gardevoir, the attack striking her head on as she was sent flying backwards a few feet, the powerful attack knocking her out in one hit.

"O-Oh my…" Natasha exclaimed in surprise, taken aback by Kyogre's power as she recalled her injured companion. Luckily, she was able to make up her mind without hesitation and opted to send out her Scizor next, the Frozen Claw Pokémon eager to deal with the legendary Pokémon before it. Immediately, it lunged towards the Kyogre, dodging a few Ancient Power's that came its way before assaulting the Sea Basin Pokémon with a series of swift punches and kicks. And though the assault managed to stagger the large beast, it was still raring to go; opening its maw as it began collecting power. Soon enough, it fired an almighty blast of water that sent the Scizor flying back several feet, crashing into a series of cardboard boxes as Natsaha quickly ran over to check on her ally. "Scizor! Are you alright?!"

"_Sci…" _It replied weakly, unable to continue fighting as the purple-haired girl recalled her comrade.

"Had enough, my little snowflake? There's not a Delta Species you have that can withstand my Kyogre's power." Audrey taunted her, causing the girl to think to herself as she was caught in a rough position. What does she have that can dish out a lot of damage, and can withstand an attack from that thing at the same time? It seemed that she had nothing that satisfied both conditions; nothing except…

"Snorlax, I choose you!" Natasha declared, sending out her Snorlax as the large Pokémon let out a low grumble of sorts. It opted to start things off by drumming on its belly with its hands, powering up to the max before eating a Sitrus Berry to regain its energy. But the Kyogre wasn't fazed by this at all, opting to conjure up a ball of ice-cold energy before firing it into a beam at its enemy, a low groan escaping from the Mountain Pokémon as it withstood the attack. But despite all odds, it managed to withstand the attack, catching the Abyssal leader by surprise.

"What? How could it withstand an Ice Beam from a Primal Kyogre?" The older woman inquired.

"For all your careful planning and whatnot, it seems that you forgot about Snorlax's ability to withstand Fire and Ice type attacks with ease; a trait shared with its Delta counterpart." The purple-haired girl retorted, pointing a finger at the Kyogre. "Finish it off with Wood Hammer!"

Letting out a cry of determination, the Snorlax raised it's right arm in the air, the limb glowing with a vivid green as it slammed own onto the Kyogre's head as it crash-landed into the floor and created a large impact crater. When the dust died down, it showed that the Kyogre had reverted to its normal form and was barely able to get back up.

"Woo-hoo! We did it Snorlax!" Natasha cheered, giving her comrade a congratulatory hug before recalling it to its ball, her opponent taken aback by her unexpected defeat. She had one of the strongest Pokémon of all time under her command, yet she was defeated by some insolent child.

"I can't believe I lost to you again; I must really be losing my touch…" Audrey muttered bitterly to herself.

"And let me guess; despite my victory over you, it means nothing in the end because you have some back up plan ready. Am I right?" The purple-haired girl inquired sarcastically.

"Indeed. Even though it's been defeat in battle, Kyogre can still call upon its subjects from the depths below. Just take a look at the water beside me…" The white-haired woman called out to her foe, the duo watching as the water began to stir. "The first soldier of my army is about to report for duty, ready to deal with you for good. Sure, you might be able to put up a fight against it, perhaps even knock it out, but you can only last for so long until all your precious Delta Pokémon have been knocked out. And once that happens, I'll—" She continued, only for the base to begin quaking for a few moments.

"W-What was that?" Natasha inquired, now on full alert as she reached for another Pokéball.

"_Don't mind me…I was starting to get interested in her plan."_ A voice called out, the duo turning to see Malde, or at least what was left of the man that was Malde approach the duo. He had fully accepted his new appearance and radiated an air of unease that caused the teenage girl to freeze on the spot.

"W-Who are you and how did you get here?!" Audrey demanded an answer from the hybrid before her.

"_My power was able to break through those barriers you put up. As for who I am, or was, I am Malde; father of the Sonata City Gym Leader, Harmony. She thought that the treatment didn't go well, but she couldn't be more wrong. I feel better than ever. I've been improved and empowered, and I wish to share my gift to the world. I extend this offer to the both of you, Natasha, Audrey." _Malde informed them. _"However, there is a small price for this offer; the crystal that Audrey possesses."_

"You want the crystal? You must be joking. That's the only thing keeping Kyogre from going on a rampage! Even in its weakened state, it would kill us all without breaking a sweat!" The cult leader shot back. "You better turn your tentacle-covered tail and get out of here, right now!"

"_It wasn't me that wanted you to join. I want to heal the world while you seek to conquer it; our goals differ too much for you to be of any help to me. But having Pokérus…it's a most illuminating experience. Things are revealed; you remember things that were suppressed. Things such as the memory of a mother who abandoned her child. Of being raised by an uncaring stepmother because his mother chose a Pokémon over him. Even after remembering all that, Damian still wanted you healed."_ The Deoxys hybrid dropped a bombshell, catching Natasha by surprise.

"N-No way…" Natasha began, her eyes widening with surprise as she saw her friend walking up towards the trio, the purple-haired girl horrified by his new appearance. Like with Malde, he too was now half Deoxys. "N-No…this can't be real. This has to be a sick joke; I refuse to believe this is real."

"_It is no joke, Natasha. Damian is the son of Audrey, head of the Abyssal Cult. He is also my right-hand agent in healing this terminally ill planet."_ Malde told her bluntly.

"D-Damian, I…" Audrey was at a complete loss for words as to what she was witnessing. "…you're all grown up now. Y-You're one of them now, what happened to you? I…I left you. This is all my fault…"

"_There is a way you can atone for your sins; this is what he wants. Just hand over the crystal and we can heal you. After all, the crystal would be an invaluable asset to our cause." _Malde ordered her, but she refused to budge. After all, it was the only thing keeping Kyogre in check. _"She's not giving it to us…take it, Damian."_

Before she could protest, Damian snatched the shard of the crystal from his mother, a sudden spark forming in the Kyogre's mind as it regained its composure. Turning around, it shot a death glare at its former captor, the base quaking as the Sea Basin Pokémon approached her. With no other choice available, Audrey dove into the body of water with the Kyogre following afterwards, as Damian watched the scene before him.

"Mom…" He commented sadly.

"_You did the right thing, Damian. Together we're going to heal the world. You'll be a hero; no one will ever look down on you again. Let's go, we have people to help."_ The older man told him, gesturing the white-haired boy to follow him, the latter giving Natasha one last glance before following him out the base.

"Damian…" Natasha commented sadly, wiping a tear away as she made her own way out the base. She was going to save him, no matter what the cost was. But unbeknownst to her, a mysterious figure emerged from the shadows, wearing a hooded robe that resembled that of the legendary Giratina. The figure had seen the entire thing go down, pleasantly surprised to see that the Abyssal Cult was finished for good.

"One down, the Mistress will be most pleased. The shards will return to us. Earth…it's almost time to come back to the mirror." The figure commented, before quietly fading back into the shadows from whence they came.

**And with that, the Abyssal Cult has been defeated for good. One down, four more to go, or six more if you choose to include Malde's group and the Giratina cultists. The next chapter will have the gym battle against Anastasia so that'll be something to look forward to. Thank you all for reading and supporting my story, I'll see you all in the next chapter.**

**Acquired Delta Pokémon:**

**D. Venusaur**

**D. Charizard**

**D. Blastoise**

**D. Dugtrio**

**D. Crustle (Cake) **

**D. Golem**

**D. Ambipom**

**D. Muk**

**D. Reuniclus**

**D. Scizor**

**D. Volcarona**

**D. Sunflora**

**D. Gardevoir (female)**

**D. Gallade**

**D. Quagsire**

**D. Raichu**

**D. Hydreigon**

**D. Pidgeot**

**D. Golurk**

**D. Plusle**

**D. Minun**

**D. Ludicolo**

**D. Heatmor**

**D. Emolga**

**D. Drifblim**

**D. Roserade**

**D. Snorlax**

**D. Haxorus**

**D. Weezing**

**D. Dunsparce**

**D. Huntail (male)**

**D. Gorebyss (female)**

**D. Vespiquen**

**D. Chandelure**


	18. Chapter 18

**My sincerest apologies for the long wait, but I had a short case of writers' block which kept me from working on this story, but luckily, I'm more than ready to get back to writing. In this chapter we wrap up out business in Kepler City, which just so happens to include a gym battle. I hope you're all looking forward to that.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon Insurgence; it is the property of its creators.**

**Kepler City**

"…So Kyogre got her in the end, huh?" Harmony commented, having just heard Natasha's recollection of what had occurred in the Abyssal Cult's base of operations.

"As strange as this may be, I kinda feel bad for her. Sure, she was trying to flood the world and rule over it, but that doesn't mean she should've died." Natasha stated.

"I agree, though a part of me can't help but find the irony in the situation…" The older woman chuckled lightly, re-directing her attention back at Natasha. "That aside, your exploits were incredible. You defeated a cult leader and disbanded her cult; you're the first person since the First Augur to pull that off!"

"I know; that's one thing I have over Jaern. I wonder what he was doing during this whole debacle…" The purple-haired girl commented in a passive-aggressive tone, doing a poor job of hiding her contempt for the Second Augur.

"One more thing; about your friend, Damian. It seems that he's affected by the same virus that's affecting my father. Don't worry, we'll do everything in our power to help cure him. Having done some research on the Pokérus virus, I believe I'm on the path to finding a potential vaccine. I'll let Nora know about it so we can begin working on it." Harmony pledged to her new friend.

"Thank you…" Natasha smiled back at her, getting up off her seat. "Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a gym badge to obtain."

"Quite right; I've got my own gym to attend to as well." The older woman chuckled, getting up off her chair as the duo exited the house. From there, the purple-haired girl made a beeline for the gym, entering the vast building and was greeted by Anastasia.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the newest hero of Torren; I'll admit that I didn't expect you to take out the Abyssal Cult on your own, but it was an amazing feat I tell you what." Anastasia complimented her junior. "On behalf of everyone in town, I thank you for your efforts!"

"No need to thank me; I was just doing what was right." Natasha stated. "Which reminds me, what ever happened to Lugia?"

"Lugia? It flew off after Audrey disappeared, though where it went, I cannot say. We cleaned up the streets once the storms subsided, which was easier said than done." The black-haired woman answered. "But I know why you came to see me; you wanted a Gym Battle, correct?"

"Yep, you know me. Just don't expect me to go easy on you; I did disband a cult after all…" The purple-haired girl commented cheekily.

"Confident, are we? I'll let you know that my Pokémon work together like the gears in a machine; you might've defeated Audrey, but you won't Faraday against me!" Anastasia chuckled, a low groan escaping from Natasha's mouth as she got the joke.

"Ugh…I didn't think you were a fan of terrible puns." She winced.

"Well it helps keep morale up, so who am I to complain?" The gym leader commented, taking out a Pokéball and sent out her Klefki, while Natasha opted to send out her Drifblim, the young teen gazing at her opponent. She knew that Klefki were notorious for being able to cripple an opponent with a wide variety of status-moves and had expected to fight one today.

As she expected, the Klefki made the first move, it's body coated in electricity as it fired a weak charge of electricity at its foe, stunning the Drifblim as it descended towards the ground, it's body paralyzed from the attack. However, it soon took out a vivid green berry and ate it quickly, curing it of its paralysis as it rose back into the air and emitted a blast of scorching hot wind at the Klefki, the Key Ring Pokémon taken aback by the sudden comeback as it was flung a few feet backwards. Slowly getting back up, it taunted the Drifblim, daring it to attack it again and infuriating the Hot Air Pokémon. Falling for the taunt, the Drifblim rushed towards it, only for the Klefki to grab it by its basket and slam it onto the ground, a low wince escaping from the balloon's mouth. No longer in the mood to play any games, it got back in the air and began taking in air to make it's body larger than normal. Once it had finished taking in air, it released it in the form of an almighty gust of wind that sent the Klefki flying into the back wall and caused a small impact crater, the Key Ring Pokémon falling to the ground as it was unable to continue battling.

"Hah! How do you like that?" Natasha commented boldly, watching her opponent recall her Pokémon.

"If you think I'm gonna throw in the towel, then you're sorely mistaken. As a matter of fact, it's about time I doused that ego of yours." Anastasia retorted, sending out her Rotom Wash as the sentient washing machine chuckled mischievously at its foe. The Drifblim opted to cripple its for by firing an eerie ball of fire at its foe, striking it head on as the Rotom was left with a rather nasty burn on its body. However, the Plasma Pokémon was more than capable of dealing with its foe, aiming its hose at the Hot Air Pokémon and fired a relentless torrent of water at it, scoring a critical hit as the Drifblim was sent hurtling towards the wall and crashed landed on the hard ground, unable to continue battling. "See? Tough talk only makes it harder to eat your words."

"We'll see about that…" The purple-haired girl stated, recalling her Drifblim before opting to bring out the big guns. "Hydreigon, let's teach this Rotom a lesson in justice!"

Sending out her next Pokémon, the Hydreigon reared itself off the ground before shooting a glare at the Rotom, who merely responded with an amused chuckle. Opting to take the initiative, the Hydreigon regurgitated a ball of sludge from its dominant mouth to knock down the Rotom, however the poltergeist was able to dodge the incoming attack. The Rotom opted to retaliate by charging up another Hydro Pump and took aim at the Tyrant Cobra Pokémon, striking it head on as it was pushed back a few feet. Quickly shaking the water off it's body, the Hydreigon lunged at the Plasma Pokémon, its two smaller heads clamping down onto its body as their eyes began to glow green and started draining the energy from the Rotom. After a few minutes, the Hydreigon tossed its foe into the air and followed up with another Sludge Bomb, scoring a direct hit as the Rotom crashed into the ground and couldn't get back up.

"With Pokémon like that, it's no wonder you defeated Audrey. But it's about time I took care of it for good." The gym leader called out, recalling her Rotom and sent out a Magnezone, the Steel Type hovering above the ground via a bright red balloon.

Knowing that it's Ground and Poison-Type moves would be useless in this battle, the Tyrant Cobra Pokémon began formulating a back-up plan to deal with its enemy. However, the Magnezone took this opportunity to attack the Hydreigon, channeling its hidden power to conjure up a series of light-blue balls of energy, launching them at the Tyrant Cobra Pokémon as the latter was struck by the icy cold barrage. Luckily, it was still able to keep fighting and opted to go for a counterattack, breathing two streams of fire from its mouths at the Magnezone, striking it head on and caused its balloon to burst. Now that it was considerably closer to the ground, the Hydreigon was able to use its Ground-Type moves against it, creating a series of powerful tremors that struck the Magnet Area Pokémon and sent it flying back several feet, crashing into the back wall and fell to the ground, unable to continue battling.

"Phew, I'm already halfway done with this battle. If all goes to plan, I should be able to finish things off soon!" Natasha cheered, watching Anastasia recall her Pokémon before reaching for another one.

"I reckon it's about time for some pest extermination, and my Electivire is more than capable of doing so!" The older woman retorted, sending out her fourth Pokémon as the bipedal creature let out an ear-splitting screech, it's fists clenched tightly. The Electivire then proceeded to charge electricity in its tails for a few moments before firing a series of lightning bolts at the various machines scattered around the place, reactivating them as they all began to emit a low humming sound. The humming made the Hydreigon uncomfortable, its body now on edge as it backed away from the arena slowly, only to get sucker punched by the Thunderbolt Pokémon, its fist covered in what appeared to be ice. The Electivire made its way to its opponent, ready to deal the finishing blow, only to get caught off-guard by a sudden lunge from the Tyrant Cobra Pokémon, the three-headed snake biting down hard on its foe and injected it with a potent toxin. In a desperate attempt to break free from the attack, the Electivire continued to punch the Hydreigon with a series of swift punches, its foes grip slowly weakening as it soon collapsed to the floor and couldn't get back up. The Thunderbolt Pokémon was about to utter a cry of victory, only for it to collapse to the ground as a result of the toxin flowing through its body. Though Anastasia wasn't keen on the idea of a draw, she was more than satisfied that Hydreigon's reign of terror was at an end.

"That was a fantastic performance you gave, Hydreigon. I'll make sure you get a nice, warm rest for your efforts." The purple-haired girl smiled at her companion, recalling it as she saw her opponent recall her Pokémon and began musing on who to send out next. Eventually, she settled on sending out her Huntail and watched as Anastasia sent out her Aegislash, the teenage girl knowing that they weren't to be trifled with.

The moray eel opted to start things off by breathing a stream of draconic fire at its foe in the hopes of paralyzing it. However, the Aegislash predicted this and enlarged its shield to block the incoming attack before following up with a quick slash that sent the Huntail skidding back a couple feet. Realizing that brute strength wasn't going to cut it, it opted to coil its body into a circle in order to bolster its physical capabilities. Seeing an opportunity to land a decisive blow, the Aegislash switched into its Sword Forme and opted to slash at the Huntail, only for the slender Pokémon to retaliate with a swift Sucker Punch courtesy of its tail, the attack sending the Royal Sword Pokémon flying towards Anastasia's feet, the purple-haired girl a little surprised that she was able to knock it out that quickly.

"It's been a while since I was backed into a corner like this, but this is where things get exciting…" Anastasia stated, recalling her Aegislash and sent out her Metagross before taking out her Mega Ring and activated it. Natasha was a little taken aback by this turn of events, watching as the Metagross before her evolved into its Mega Forme, the hulking behemoth emitting a roar so powerful that the ground quivered for a few seconds. The massive Pokémon shot a quick glance at the Huntail, raising one of its arms in the air before slamming down on it with incredible force, the purple-haired girl flinching at the sight as she saw that her Huntail wasn't able to continue fighting.

"This isn't good…" Natasha mused to herself, recalling her injured Pokémon as she began plotting a way to deal with the Metagross for good. After a while, an idea formed in her mind as she opted to send out her Chandelure, believing it to be the best option she has.

Her decision seems to have paid off as the sentient chandelier wasn't intimidated by its powerful opponent at all, opting to start things off by emitting a series of powerful streams of fire from its candles, striking the Metagross and caused it to stagger back a couple feet. Shaking off the attack, the massive Pokémon began hovering in the air, it's body shining a lustrous silver as it charged at its opponent and struck it head on, sending the Chandelure flying back several feet into the wall. But despite the powerful attack, the Chandelier Pokémon wasn't out for the count, shaking the dust off its body as it fired a few more streams of fire at the Metagross, landing a direct hit as it fell to the ground. The Chandelure opted to go for one final attack, gathering as much lunar energy as it could before firing a vivid pink orb at its opponent, striking it head on as it was flung a few feet backwards and crumpled before Anastasia's feet, devolving into its normal form as it couldn't continue battling anymore.

"Don't get to excited over your victory, otherwise you'll change state!" Anastasia cracked another joke, the purple-haired girl wincing to herself as they both recalled their Pokémon. "In all seriousness, that was an awesome battle! You've definitely earned the Circuit Badge!"

"Thank you very much!" Natasha smiled, accepting the metal badge and pinned it to her trainer card.

"As much as I want to stay and chat, I've got an important side project to work on. If it's really urgent, you can see me at my lab underneath the gym, but don't touch anything. Got it?" The black-haired woman told her.

"Got it!" The purple-haired girl replied, opting to make her way to the Pokémon Center to heal her Pokémon.

**0000**

Natasha had just exited the Pokemon Center, opting to take out her map and go over her route to the next gym. As it was situated in Selene City, it would require her to go to Nasca Town, through the Murk Forest and stop off at Hekate Town before making the final push through Route 12. If all goes well, she should be able to arrive at her destination within 3-5 days. But as she was about to leave the town, she saw a shady figure making their towards the gym, only to make a turn to the right and stop at what looked like a small entrance hidden in the hillside, right underneath the gym itself.

"Tch, what an unusual place to put a workshop. Ah well, at least nobody saw me…" The man spoke to himself, a dark-grey trench coat over his body as a means of disguising himself. However, the purple-haired girl immediately recognized his voice; that slimy bastard Taen. He must've been making preparations for this meeting while Reukra was dealing with the whole Malde situation. Whatever the case, she had to deal with him as soon as possible. Following him inside the hidden workshop, Natasha hid behind the first table she could find, eavesdropping on the conversation between Anastasia and Taen.

"Just in time; your commission has been completed. Just keep me out of any more cult activities, and we'll be good." A sigh of content escaped from the woman's mouth, removing the cover off the thing she had built for him as the blue-haired man began to inspect it. It appeared to be what could only be described as a set of light-blue and white armor, which shone brightly underneath the dim lighting within the workshop. Natasha had no idea what the armor was for, but she had a hunch that Taen knew what its purpose was.

"Impressive work, it seems Reukra was right about you…" He stated, bringing out his phone and tapped away on it for a few moments. "And…done. One million dollars has been wired to your bank account as agreed. Though I'm tempted to give you a little extra given how fantastic this thing looks."

"I hope you didn't mind if I did a bit of research on the side while making it. I was curious to see what Pokémon you were designing the armor for, but I was only able to get a single match based on the measurements that you gave me; Zekrom. But that doesn't seem right; Harmony told me that it was Kyurem that you had. I find it hard to believe that you have both Kyurem and Zekrom." Anastasia stated, narrowing her eyes at the cultist.

"I don't care what you believe, the truth is the truth." Taen replied bluntly, taking out a Pokeball and opened it, with the Gym Leader stepping back in surprise as she saw the legendary Zekrom emerge from its ball. The Zekrom took a quick look at the armor before it, turning its head to face its trainer who shot an impatient glare at it. Knowing what would happen to it if it disobeyed his order, it willingly stepped into the armor, taking the time to put it on as the blue-haired man was pleased with what he was seeing.

"Incredible…I'd never thought I'd see Zekrom itself, wearing the armor I had built for it." Anastasia whispered to herself in a mixture of shock and awe. Figuring that it was the best time to confront Taen and put a halt to his plans, the purple-haired girl opted to emerge from her hiding spot, surprising the duo with her sudden appearance. "N-Natasha! What are you doing here?!"

"Putting a stop to whatever this creep plans on doing with that armor!" Natasha declared, a low chuckle escaping from Taen's mouth.

"Well, well. I can't say I'm surprised to see you. After all, meddlesome brats like you tend to stick around like a virus." He sneered at her.

"So how many of your fellow cultists did you sacrifice to summon Zekrom? Was it more than it took to summon Kyurem?" She shot back, only for another chuckle to escape from her foes mouth.

"Hah, do you really think we'd pull that sort of crap? We're not like those other cults who ask their target to join them; we just use Master Balls to capture them. Sure, Audrey was able to pull it off with Lugia, but look where that got her; a permanent vacation in Kyogre's stomach! It says something about our competition when we're the only cult that practices common sense." Taen retorted, shooting a sideways glance at Anastasia. "I might commission some more armor out of you. Don't worry; the Perfection Cult has more than enough money to compensate you for your services."

"W-Well…I…" She began stammering nervously, not to thrilled over the idea of making more armor for the Perfection Cult. But thankfully for her, the sound of approaching footsteps saved her from having to answer Taen's request.

"Hey, Anastasia!" The voice called out, with Natasha turning her head as she saw Orion approaching the trio. "My friend told me to come here. There was s—"

"You mean Reshiram? Ah yes, that was a most pleasant day if I say so myself." The blue-haired man called out, approaching the young boy who shot a glare back at him.

"You again?! I won't let you lay a hand on my pal, no matter what you do to me!" Orion shot back at his elder.

"Kids these days; they're a lot braver than most adults, though nowhere near as wise. You've saved my quite some trouble by making your way here." Taen sneered, showing off his newly acquired Zekrom. "Behold, child. The Dragon of Ideals, Zekrom! Bound in protective armor, it's much tougher than it ever was before! A perfect fusion of Pokémon and machine."

"Z-Zekrom joined you…?" The redhead asked in disbelief.

"As if! I simply caught it and tamed it into submission, just like with my Kyurem." The older man retorted bluntly.

"Y-You…I'll make you pay for treating them so cruelly, you monster!" Orion growled at his nemesis.

"Then why don't you send out your Reshiram and stop me? A duel between Truth and Ideals where the winner takes all…" Taen goaded him, hoping to get his hands on Reshiram.

"Seriously? Why should I accept when you have a clear advantage over me? That suit of armor gives you an unfair advantage!" The young boy retorted.

"Oh, and I thought you cared about what happens to Zekrom and Kyurem. How would the public react when they hear about an esteemed Gym Leader allowing innocent Pokémon to suffer…" The Perfection Cultist taunted him.

"Why don't you get bent, you freak?! Stop putting pressure on a young chi—" Natasha began, only for Orion to raise his hand in the air.

"It's okay Natasha, I'll accept his challenge. I can't let this bastard push me around like he did that day." Orion accepted the challenge, taking out a Pokéball and sent out his Reshiram, the Dragon of Truth staring down it's other half. "I'll make you pay for what you've done, one way or another. I'll see to it that justice is served right here, right now!"

"Did you really just say that?" Taen asked incredulously, taken aback by Orion's sudden valor. "Whatever; crush that worm Zekrom, _or else_…"

Knowing full well what 'or else' meant, the Zekrom gave it its all as it clashed with its rival, the two dragons dealing each other blow after blow. Anastasia, not wanting to get caught in the midst of battle, made the decision to back away from the dueling dragons, watching the mesmerizing sight as a sense of regret started to well up inside her. That armor…it was working too well for her liking; Reshiram was dealing very little damage to its foe. On the contrary, Zekrom's blows were leaving their mark on the white dragon's body. Eventually, Reshiram wasn't able to continue fighting, granting Zekrom an opportunity to deal a finishing blow to its opponent.

"Reshiram!" Orion cried out to his friend, with Taen chucking a spare Master Ball at the defeated dragon and caught it with ease. "N-No…my friend…"

"Yes! To the victor go the spoils." Taen smirked, recalling his Zekrom before picking up the newly acquired Reshiram. "That armor was well worth every penny spent. With this…I can finally create the Pokémon of my dreams…"

Seeing that Orion was on the verge of tears, Natasha opted to stand up for him. "Hey, give him back his friend! I'll fight you for it!" She demanded, taking out a Pokéball, only for Taen to reject the offer.

"Battle you? No thank you. Oh don't get me wrong, I want to get revenge on you for defeating me back at the Base of Perfection. But I have a few things to do in order to prepare myself for such a momentous occasion. When the time comes, I'll give you that battle that you want so desperately. Meet me at the Dragon Ruins near Selene City; that is where we will have our battle." The blue-haired man began. "Humanity and Pokémon are two sides of the same coin; each can do things the other couldn't hope to try. If we could combine the talents of people and Pokémon, perfection can finally be achieved."

And with that, the Perfection Cultist made his way outside the hidden workshop, the trio watching him go as they were trying to take in what they had just heard.

"That was some of the craziest stuff I've heard in a long time." Anastasia commented, with the other two turning to face her. "Look, about this whole armor business. I'm sorry that it led to you losing your friend, Orion. As a scientist, I need all the income I can get in order to continue my research."

"No need to apologize; knowing him, he would've found a way to make you build that armor for him." Natasha stated, shooting a quick glance at Orion. "Hey…are you alright?"

"At this moment, no. But know that I know where he's going to be, I can get stronger in order to save my friend. I'll need your assistance though, if it's alright with you." Orion told her.

"I'd be more than happy to help you, if only to teach that asshole a lesson." The purple-haired girl stated.

"You two…you aren't seriously considering going there, are you?" The older woman inquired.

"We have to Anastasia, for Reshiram's sake. It was my friend before I even knew it was a Pokémon. It supported me when I needed it the most, so now it's time for me to repay the favor." The redhead stated.

"Besides, it's obvious that he's planning something sinister at those ruins, and it involves the dragons of Unova. Whatever it is, we need to put a stop to it as soon as possible." Natasha added, turning to face Orion. "So, shall we travel together, or on our own?"

"On our own; I feel it would be more beneficial for us if we went our separate ways. Once you're ready, I'll meet you at the entrance to the Dragon Ruins." Orion told her, the young boy quietly making his way outside the hidden workshop.

"Look, Natasha. I'm not saying that you two aren't strong enough to defeat him, but I do advise taking caution. That Taen fella…he looks like the type who plays dirty to win." Anastasia warned her. "As a matter of fact, I have some prototypes that I could rebuild into armor for your Pokémon if you're interested."

"I appreciate the offer, but I think I'll be fine without them. Just make sure that harmony knows what happened today, alright?" The purple-haired girl requested.

"Can do!" The gym leader replied cheerily, watching the teenage girl exit her workshop as she began brainstorming ideas for her next project.

**Another apology for the late upload, but I had come down with a bit of writer's block which ate up a fair amount of time. I know this chapter was considerably different than the events of the game, but I feel that it would make the showdown against Taen at the Dragon Ruins all the more dramatic. Thank you all for reading and supporting my story, I'll see you all in the next chapter.**

**Acquired Delta Pokémon:**

**D. Venusaur**

**D. Charizard**

**D. Blastoise**

**D. Dugtrio**

**D. Crustle (Cake) **

**D. Golem**

**D. Ambipom**

**D. Muk**

**D. Reuniclus**

**D. Scizor**

**D. Volcarona**

**D. Sunflora**

**D. Gardevoir (female)**

**D. Gallade**

**D. Quagsire**

**D. Raichu**

**D. Hydreigon**

**D. Pidgeot**

**D. Golurk**

**D. Plusle**

**D. Minun**

**D. Ludicolo**

**D. Heatmor**

**D. Emolga**

**D. Drifblim**

**D. Roserade**

**D. Snorlax**

**D. Haxorus**

**D. Weezing**

**D. Dunsparce**

**D. Huntail (male)**

**D. Gorebyss (female)**

**D. Vespiquen**

**D. Chandelure**


	19. Chapter 19

**A bit of a slower chapter than the last 2-3 chapters, but it's a nice change of pace from the norm, don't you think?**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon Insurgence; it is the property of its creators.**

**Nasca Town**

Having spent the last hour traversing through Route 11, Natasha decided to take a quick stop at the rural town in order to rest up for the next leg of her journey. She had heard from a few passing trainers that the Murk Forest was blanketed in a permanent fog of sorts, which has led to trainers getting lost within its depths. The warnings also mentioned a fantastic beast with incredible power, who uses the fog to sneak up on unsuspecting prey. Intrigued at the prospect of laying eyes on this magnificent creature, the purple-haired girl opted to prepare for her expedition into the forest, but not before looking around the small town for a while.

As she was wandering around the small town, she happened to hear a pair of trainers conversing with each other.

"Have you heard about the sudden power outages at the Power Farm? My father saw what looked like a rogue Pokémon skulking around the place; perhaps it's the culprit behind the incidents?" A young man informed his friend.

"A rogue Pokémon? What does it look like?" The man's friend inquired, a look of curiosity in her eyes.

"He only got a quick look at it before it fled behind a turbine; he told me that it was somewhat tall, was rather lanky and had what seemed to be a green scarf wrapped around its neck." The man informed her.

"Hmmm…seems like it could be a Leavanny; your father must've mistaken its leafy crest for a scarf." The woman suggested. "But what would a Leavanny be doing here? Their territory is to the right of Helios City, not left."

"Perhaps it was abandoned by its trainer or something, I don't know." The man replied, the duo walking off as a sense of intrigue coursed through Natasha. What on earth could this mysterious Pokémon be? Perhaps another Delta Species? Either way, she figured that it wouldn't hurt to do a bit of investigating, making her way towards the cave in the southeast. Upon entering the dank cavern, the first thing the purple-haired girl noticed was another one of those stone spires with a tile puzzle on it, opting to approach it as she began to solve the small puzzle before her. This time however, she was able to complete it in less than five minutes due to her prior experience. Watching the completed puzzle disappear, Natasha quickly took the scroll and pocketed it before making her way out the cave and onto the Power Farm.

As she had expected, the place was fairly quiet, save for the hum of the wind turbines that scattered the area. Quickly looking side-to-side in search of the rogue Pokémon, the purple-haired girl walked through the area, only to pause on the spot as she heard something behind her. Standing in front of the cave entrance was a predominantly green Bisharp, a light green scarf wrapped around its neck. The steel horn running down its face was an icy blue, as were its steel boots. Additionally, there were light green strips of cloth wrapped around the base of its blades, with another strip of cloth wrapped around its waist. This Delta Bisharp before her must be the mysterious Pokémon those trainers talked about, and it was itching for a fight. Accepting its challenge, Natasha sent out her Golurk, the giant warrior sizing up its opponent.

The Bisharp immediately lunged at the Golurk, at speeds far greater than that of an ordinary Bisharp and pummeled the Gladiator Pokémon with a series of rapid punches. However, the latter was able to take the barrage due to its incredible defenses and retaliated with a powerful punch that sent the Flying Sword Pokémon skidding back a few feet. Opting to get serious now, the Bisharp removed the cloth off its blades and used its power to conjure up a pair of sharp swords made out of wind and slashed the air, creating a powerful gust of wind that caused the Golurk to stagger on the spot. Recovering its composure, the Gladiator Pokémon reared its fist in the air and pummeled the foe with all its might, sending the Bisharp flying back a few feet as it crumpled on the grassy floor, with Natasha throwing a Pokéball at the injured Pokémon. The spherical device quickly wriggled on the floor as both trainer and Pokémon watched it with bated breath, hoping that their efforts would succeed. A few seconds later, the ball stopped shaking, the red light going out as Natasha sighed in relief over the successful capture.

"Phew…I've gotten so used to Pokémon willingly joining my team that my capturing skills have gotten a bit rusty." She quipped to her Golurk, the massive Pokémon letting out a low groan as the duo opted to make their way back to the Pokémon Center.

Fifteen minutes later, the purple-haired girl exited the red-roofed building, her Pokémon healed up from the encounter at the Power Farm as she decided to begin her exploration of Murk Forest. After all, she needed to go through them in order to reach Hekate Town. Additionally, there's also that extremely powerful Pokémon that she was warned about earlier today, hence why she needed to make additional preparations. Deciding that she was ready, Natasha made her way to the small cave to the right that led out of town, only to get struck by a sudden migraine. It was so intense that it caused her to black out, the purple-haired girl promptly fainting almost instantaneously.

_**Dream Sequence**_

"_W-Where am I…?" Natasha asked, finding herself in an empty void of sorts. This couldn't be an ordinary dream; it must be the work of a Pokémon, and an incredibly strong one at that._

"_Do not fret, young one. No harm would befall you." A voice called out to her, the purple-haired girl turning to the side and saw a Darkrai Cultist approaching her. "I'm only here to talk with you."_

"_Alright, I'll listen to you. But if you so much as think about attacking me…" The purple-haired girl began, getting herself in a combative pose in case the cultist tried anything stupid._

"_Perhaps I should start by introducing myself; I'm the cultist that you saw getting sacrificed during your escape attempt. From what I know, you've become a legend in the Cult of Darkrai, due to the incredibly high bounty placed upon your head." The cultist told her._

"_Sacrificed? If that's the case, then how are you here speaking to me?" Natasha inquired._

"_Darkrai protected me as I was leaving this world; turns out that it doesn't want sacrifices and evil acts done in my name. None of the other legendaries approve of the actions of the various cults; in fact it wouldn't surprise me if Rayquaza found a way to save East." He continued, staring at the purple-haired girl intensely. "Listen to me; Persephone's ultimate desire is revenge. You must do everything in your power to stop her from getting it. Stopping her will save another legendary Pokémon from getting enslaved, and it may provide you with a way to save your friend, Damian. Forgive me for taking up your time, that is all I wanted to tell you."_

_H-How do you know all this?! W-Where are you going?!" She called out to the man as he began to disappear, only for the girl to succumb to darkness as she drifted off once more._

_**Dream Sequence end**_

**?**

"Ugh…where am I…?" Natasha groaned, slowly getting up as she took the time to survey her surroundings. Somehow, she had wound up deep inside a forest after blacking out back in town, though who dragged her here was a mystery. The place was dark and foreboding, with barely any light seeping in through the leaves, and a thick fog permeated the area. This must be the Murk Forest that she heard about from the townspeople; the place where the monster of incredible power lurks. Figuring that it was a good idea to find her bearings as soon as possible, she proceeded to get up on her feet, only for her to feel as if a weight was taken off her shoulders. Gently patting her back, she realized that her bag was missing, the purple-haired girl quickly looking around the area for her property. But as luck would have it, she soon her the sound of noisy chewing coming from her right, the teenager turning around to see her bag in the hands of a Pokémon, who was rummaging through it for food.

The Pokémon resembled a Scrafty, but it's body was a light green. It's crest, hood and pants were all made up of a thick, bushy grass that was able to absorb water at an incredible pace, enabling it to get a constant source of nourishment. But if its antics were any indication, water alone couldn't sate its appetite.

"H-Hey! Stop rummaging through my stuff!" Natasha pouted in annoyance, the Scrafty gazing at her before pulling out a half-open box of crackers and poured them all into its mouth, tossing the empty packaging back in the bag. "No…I was going to share them with Nora…" She stated dejectedly, falling to her knees.

Realizing that it may have gone a bit too far, the Scrafty hobbled towards her, handing the girl her bag back as it sat down beside her. "Well I'm glad you enjoyed them…" The purple-haired girl laughed dejectedly, with the Forest Pokémon mulling over how it could make it up to her. Soon enough, it came up with an idea that was bound to help the girl out, with the Scrafty tapping on her shoulder before pointing to the northeast.

"What's that, you want to escort me to Hekate Town as an apology for eating my crackers?" The purple-haired girl inquired, with the Scrafty nodding in response. "Alright then, lead the way."

Gesturing the girl to follow it, the Scrafty made its way through the forest, using the nearby stream as a guide through the foggy area. While walking, Natasha heard what sounded like a small group of people making their way through the area as it dawned on to her; the people of Hekate Town and Nasca Town have a 'buddy' system when it comes to walking through the forest, with people coming and going in groups of 2-3 so that they stand a chance against whatever monster could be lurking within the fog. However, she soon heard another noise coming from the left, a low growl of sorts that caused her to pause on the spot. Was this the fabled Monster of the Fog that she's heard about? Had it been stalking her this entire time, or did they randomly bump into each other? Whatever the case, she had to investigate it. Gesturing the Scrafty to follow her, the duo made their way towards the source of the noise, only to see a Sky Cultist leering at a mysterious creature.

The creature had a deep purple body that was covered in pitch-black fur, save for its face and underbelly, as well as a pair of metal gauntlets over its forelegs. It had a long tail that ended in a sharp purple stinger, like that of a scorpion. Additionally, it had a black pompadour on its head, made entirely of fur. But the most distinguishing feature were the large incisors hanging out its mouth, the tips oozing with a viscous venom. This has to be the Monster of the Fog; it certainly looks the part after all.

"H-Hey, don't you bare your fangs at me! Be a good Luxray and stay in the ball!" The Sky Cultist demanded, tossing an Ultra Ball at it, only for the Luxray to lower its head and strike the ball with its tail, shattering it into two.

"Hah! As I expected from a loser like you!" Natasha taunted the cultist, the older man turning and shot her a look of surprise.

"You?! This must be my lucky day; Jaern's placed a massive bounty on your head, as well as a bonus for any Delta Species that we can find. Between these two Delta's, and the ones you're lugging around, I'd be set for life!" The cultist leered at her.

"So Jaern's after the Delta Species as well…" The purple-haired girl muttered to herself.

"Indeed; he's been intrigued by them ever since you defeated East that day. However, he's on importance business right now, so it's up to us to gather them for him. But I'm sure he'd be surprised when we bring you to him." The older man continued.

"If you can catch me that is…Scrafty, knock the wind out of his sails!" She called out, the Forest Pokémon nodding in agreement as it leaped into the air and delivered a powerful kick to the man's stomach, winding him greatly as he was knocked down to the ground.

"Y-You…" He growled, clutching his aching stomach as he began panting for air.

"I'm not one for attacking trainers; after all it's a pretty scummy move. But when it comes to creeps like you, I'm willing to make an exception." She retorted, noticing that the Luxray was still growling at the injured cultist, ready to deal the finishing blow. "Luxray! This man's not worth it! Just leave him be."

Upon saying that, the Venom Fangs Pokémon ceased its growling, averting its gaze back to the purple-haired girl as the cultist stared at her in shock. How was it that this girl could easily tame a Pokémon that was out for blood? Was this part of the reason why Jaren wanted to apprehend her as soon as possible? As much as he wanted to ask her, he was in too much pain to do so, the cultist watching helplessly as the trio walked away from him.

**0000**

After just under an hour of walking, the trio were finally near the exit to Hekate Town, the only thing left of note was a secluded clearing to the side, surrounded by tall trees. But as she was about to pass the entrance, she heard what sounded like frantic footsteps, the teenager watching as several miners quickly fled the clearing.

"D-Don't just stand there; get away from here!" One of the miners exclaimed, a look of fear etched on his face.

"W-Wait a minute! What's going on here?" Natasha inquired.

"W-We were hired by Hekate Town to mine some special crystals located within this forest. We were making good progress when these Ariados emerged from within the trees. None of us know how to battle, so we fled the area without the crystals." He informed her, and idea brewing in her head.

"I see…tell you what. I'll deal with the Ariados, while you and your co-workers reclaim your equipment." The purple-haired girl told him, entering the clearing with her Pokémon before the miner could protest. Upon entering the clearing, the trio were immediately started down by half a dozen Ariados, no doubt annoyed by the intrusion to their territory. "Look, I understand why you're annoyed with the miners; their work no doubt awakening you from your slumber. But if you wish to attack them, then you'll have to go through me first!"

The Ariados were ready to pounce on the intruder, only for a loud chittering to call out to them, the spider Pokémon standing down as they felt their leader making its arrival. Standing aside in a line of sorts, the Ariados stood silently as a massive Pokémon skittered towards the purple-haired girl, opting to stare her down. The being was…massive; far larger than anything she expected. It had a black and yellow striped body which was covered in a rocky shell of sorts, with eight black and yellow legs that were paired off into four groups of two. It had three sharp horns on its face, two above its red eyes and one on its forehead. Additionally, it had a set of sharp mandibles that could shatter large boulders with ease. The Pokémon it closest resembled was a Metagross, which spelled trouble for her as she knew how powerful they could be.

"So you're the one in charge of this little group, huh? If you think I'm scared of you, then you're wrong!" Natasha retorted boldly, impressing the Metagross with her words. However, words alone would not sate it; it wanted her to prove its strength to her. Accepting the Metagross' challenge, Natasha gestured Scrafty and Luxray to standby for battle, the three Pokémon staring each other down. The Scrafty opted to take the first move, taking out a handful of hard seeds from its pants and flung them at the Metagross, the seeds exploding on impact. This staggered the large Pokémon, giving the Luxray an opportunity to strike its foe with its tail, puncturing its body and delivered a potent toxin into its blood stream. The purple-haired girl's eyes lit up slightly as she had just gained the upper hand, only to see that the Metagross wasn't fazed at all by the poison. In fact, it appeared to be regaining its strength, leaving her to deduce that it has Poison Heal as its ability. Raising its right forelegs in the air, the large spider slammed them on the ground, creating a powerful tremor that struck the two Deltas, halting them in place. It the followed up by picking up a large boulder with its mandibles and flung it in the air, destroying it with a hardened blob of webbing and watched as the shards of rock rained down upon its foes. Both Scrafty and Luxray shielded themselves from the incoming shower, enabling the Metagross to swat them away with its legs as the duo were knocked to the ground. Getting back up off the ground, the duo decided to finish things off with a bang, knowing that they couldn't last much longer. The Luxray's fangs began to ooze a viscous green fluid as it lunged at the Metagross and bit down on it, the fluid coming into contact with the toxin from before to deal extra damage to the large spider. From there, the Scrafty used all its strength to pick up a large log, twirling it in its hands before slamming down on the Metagross with such strength that the log was shattered into two. The imposing Pokémon staggered on the spot for a few moments before collapsing on the ground, the Ariados terrified at what they saw.

Not wanting to get knocked out as well, the Ariados quickly fled into the depths of the forest, leaving Natasha to her own devices as she took out a Pokéball and flung it at the Metagross. The device ensnared the large Pokémon, falling to the ground and began shaking rapidly as the trio watched it with bated breath. Eventually the shaking ceased, the purple-haired girl sighing in relief over the successful capture as she scooped up the ball and pocketed it.

"Talk about quite the battle…" She commented to herself, alerted by a rustling of leaves as she turned around and saw the miner from before. "Were you watching this entire time?"

"Y-Yeah…My buddies and I had finished collecting out equipment, but I was so intrigued by your style of battling that I couldn't help but watch." He admitted, noticing that her Pokémon were exhausted from the battle. "Seems that your Pokémon are tired. Shall we head on over to the Pokémon Center in Hekate Town to give them a rest?"

"I was planning on heading there anyway, so I wouldn't mind the company." Natasha smiled at him, recalling her Pokémon back to their balls as the duo made their way out of the forest, the purple-haired girl satisfied by how many Delta Pokémon she acquired today.

**A little shorter than usual, but I was busy searching for work, which is easier said than done given the current circumstances. I figured that in order to spice up the Delta Encounters a bit, I'd have Natasha come face-to-face with enemy cultists, predominantly the Sky Cult as I feel that they've had barely any impact on the story at all. I mean, the Abyssal and Infernal cults had their own bases to infiltrate, while Perfection and the Cult of Darkrai have made their presence known throughout the story. Mind you, I do understand that it's tricky to flesh out several villainous groups equally, but I do wish we got another major confrontation with the Sky Cult asides from the rematch with Jaern. Anyway, thank you all for reading, I'll see you in the next chapter.**

**Acquired Delta Pokémon:**

**D. Venusaur**

**D. Charizard**

**D. Blastoise**

**D. Dugtrio**

**D. Crustle (Cake) **

**D. Golem**

**D. Ambipom**

**D. Muk**

**D. Reuniclus**

**D. Scizor**

**D. Volcarona**

**D. Sunflora**

**D. Gardevoir (female)**

**D. Gallade**

**D. Quagsire**

**D. Raichu**

**D. Hydreigon**

**D. Pidgeot**

**D. Golurk**

**D. Plusle**

**D. Minun**

**D. Ludicolo**

**D. Heatmor**

**D. Emolga**

**D. Drifblim**

**D. Roserade**

**D. Snorlax**

**D. Haxorus**

**D. Weezing**

**D. Dunsparce**

**D. Huntail (male)**

**D. Gorebyss (female)**

**D. Vespiquen**

**D. Chandelure**

**D. Bisharp**

**D. Scrafty**

**D. Luxray**

**D. Metagross (Spider) **


	20. Chapter 20

**Welcome back everyone; in this chapter we'll cover the battle against the Infernal Cult and their leader inside the Fiery Caverns. What surprises will Natasha encounter in the treacherous area? Find out now in this very chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon Insurgence; it is the property of its creators.**

**Hekate Town**

Upon arriving to the town, the first thing that Natasha noticed was how small it was, so small that she questioned whether it could even be called a town. All she saw in the clearing was a Pokémon Center, and a few houses. The only way out of the clearing was through the entrance she just came from.

"This can't be right…the map said there was a way to Route 12 here." She mused to herself, only for the miner beside her to chuckle quietly.

"Ohohohohohoho! You must be new here. Hekate Town's split up among three separate clearings, all of which are connected via these teleporters." He explained, pointing at the teleporters situated on both sides of the Pokémon Center. "The one on the left will take you to Route 12, while the other one will take you to the Fiery Caverns."

"I see. Thanks for the explanation." The purple-haired girl nodded in gratitude, the duo going their separate ways as she entered the building before her. As she handed her Pokémon over to the nurse and took a seat in the lobby, only to see a familiar face. "N-Nora?!"

"Natasha, it's nice to see you here!" Nora smiled, gesturing her friend to come closer. "I've heard about what happened in the Abyssal Base from Harmony. I…I can't believe that Damian got turned by Malde; it's all my fault…" The smile contorted into a frown, with the purple-haired girl resting her hand on her shoulder.

"Don't blame yourself, you had no idea that the whole thing with Malde would've happened in the first place." Natasha consoled her friend.

"I know…it's just that I can't help but wonder how it would've gone down if I hadn't of yelled at Damian back at the library. Perhaps…perhaps things would've gone differ—" The green-haired girl began, only for the miner from before to burst into the center.

"Trouble, we've got big trouble!" He called out, attracting everyone's attention. "The Infernal Cult has taken over the Fiery Caverns. They're using it as a base to plan an invasion of the nearby area!"

"The Infernal Cult? How'd they get here so quietly?" Nora mused, turning her head to face Natasha. "Come on, we've got to investigate this right away!"

"R-Right. Let's not waste anymore—"

Um, miss. You nearly forgot your Pokémon…" The nurse called out, a flustered expression forming on Natasha's face as she retrieved her Pokémon and thanked the nurse before following Nora out the building.

**0000**

The duo soon made their way to the Fiery Caverns and entered the underground mine, the air as hot and humid as its name implied. The place was also very dark, so the purple-haired girl brought out her Chandelure and had it light the way for them. Soon enough, the duo saw what looked like a pair of Infernal Cultists, dressed in their bright red garb as a means of honoring Groudon, digging into the walls with pickaxes.

"Why are we even here in the first place?" The first cultist asked in a dull, monotone voice. "I thought we already accomplished our task here."

"The boss is getting ready to make his big play; the fall of the Abyssal Cult has emboldened him to go through with the plan." The second cultist replied, his voice as monotone as his comrades.

"I see…" The first cultist accepted the answer, digging through the wall until he saw a lilac-colored crystal fall onto the floor. "This must be one of those crystal's we were ordered to find. But why would we need these dinky little things at all?"

"You dullard! Those things are what's keeping those teleporters in working condition. If we can gather enough of them, we may be able to create our own Crystal, like the one the First Auger used." The second cultist chided the man, the duo continuing to dig into the walls as the heroines were taken aback by what they just heard.

"T-They're making their big play soon?" Natasha replied in a hushed tone.

"Seems that way. I don't know what it is they're planning, but we won't let them get away with it!" Nora declared, the green-haired girl noticing a narrow pathway near the cavern roof that bypassed the cultists. Pointing it out to Natasha, the duo slowly climbed up the wall and onto the path, sneaking by the enemy and into a second cavern. The air was a lot more humid than before, for obvious reasons. There were small pools of lava on the floor, blocked off by heat-resistant guardrails to prevent an unfortunate accident. But what caught their attention the most was a small opening on the western wall, a dim light emanating from it. Intrigued by what could be inside this room, the duo made their way inside as Natasha was greeted by a familiar sight.

"Well what do we have here? Looks like this is spire No.6." She mused to herself, with Nora's eyes widening slightly.

"Who would've thought I'd find one here, a Spire of the Songstress." Nora stated, the duo approaching it cautiously. "I've been meaning to investigate these in my spare time, but time isn't a commodity I have a lot of these days."

"You're studying them too? I've found five of them all over the region and have solved the small puzzles on them. I still don't know what the scrolls are for, but I'm hoping to find out soon." The purple-haired girl admitted.

"Impressive work; I had a hunch you'd get the hang of it." The green-haired girl stated, her eyes fixed on the spire. "Supposedly, these spires hold a scroll in them, which act as keys to Meloetta's secret lair. I'm sure you know this already, but Meloetta's a Mythical Pokémon, just like Celebi and Mew."

"I assume that she has a trainer to look out for, just like the others?" Natasha inquired.

"She did have a trainer, one who she loved very much, but she died in an unfortunate accident. The trainer's name was Luisa, one of Torren's most—" Nora began, only for Natasha to clutch her head in pain. "N-Natasha?!"

"T-That name…" The purple-haired girl winced, her headache soon subsiding as she was left with some questions. Who exactly was this Luisa? What happened to her? And most importantly, why did it cause her to react the way she did? The only way she can find out is by collecting the rest of these scrolls and find out the truth from Meloetta. "W-We're finding the rest of those scrolls, no matter what!"

"Fine by me." The green-haired girl agreed, eyeing up the spire once more. "Hey, Natasha. Do you mind if I solved this one?"

"No problem. I'd like to see how fast you solve—" She began, only for a quick rumbling to echo throughout the cave as a pair of Pokémon broke through the wall and confronted the heroines. The first one was a Glalie made entirely of molten lava and burnt rocks, it's red eyes gazing at the duo. The second Pokémon was a Froslass that was also made up of molten lava, the pitch-black rocks on its body resembling sharp spikes. The two Pokémon were ready to deal with the intruders, hoping to protect the stone spire. "I'll negotiate with our guests, while you handle the spire."

"Got it!" Nora agreed, getting to work on the puzzle as the purple-haired began to explain her case to the spire guardians.

"Hey there, we mean you no harm. I just wish to learn some answers from Meloetta about my past." She spoke calmly, with Chandelure opting to act as a translator for both parties, even though Natasha could understand what a Delta Pokémon is saying. The Froslass opted to reply to her statement, the Pokemon's eyes narrowing slightly as it wasn't sure whether to trust her or not. "I see…you two are close to Meloetta and you're worried that I'll capture her. In that case, allow me to prove my honesty to you two."

Going through her bag, Natasha took out her Quartz Flute and played a short melody on it, a small glow emanating within the alcove as legendary Mew soon materialized before the Fire-type Pokémon and began speaking to them, the duo listening fervently to it. once Mew had finished speaking, it soon teleported back to its domain with the wild Pokémon chirping an apology to the purple-haired girl.

"No need to apologize, you were just looking out for your friend. Speaking of which, did you want to tag along with me fore a while? I'm sure Meloetta would be more than happy to see you two after so long." Natasha offered, with the wild Pokémon accepting her offer. Taking out a pair of empty Pokéballs, she recalled the Glalie and Froslass into the balls before tucking them inside her bag alongside the flute. Just then, a small _'click'_ echoed throughout the room, the purple-haired girl turning to see that Nora had solved the puzzle.

"Phew…that was trickier than I anticipated." She sighed, retrieving the scroll and handed it over to Natasha. "I take it that everything went well?"

"Yeah, better than expected." She replied, tucking the scroll away. "I'm still a little taken aback by their arrival though; I guess I should've expected one of these spires to have a guardian of sorts."

"Did you encounter any other guardians throughout your journey?" The green-haired girl inquired.

"Well the one in Nasca Town had a Delta Bisharp nearby, but it was more into playing tricks on the locals. Then there was the one in the Whirl Islands, where Lugia resided, but it had unexpected guests that day. Furthermore, there was supposedly a spire hidden in the sewers that was guarded by a Delta Heatmor, but the guy I bought the scroll from said that his mate gave it to him after solving the puzzle. That's three spires accounted for, but the last two deviate from the formula. The spire in the Misty Way had no guardian, but it was located in an area that's rife with urban legends and whatnot, but the Koril Cave spire is the outlier here. There was no guardian, no folklore surrounding it, and was located right beside a bustling town. How it managed to stay intact for that long is mystifying to me." Natasha explained, a thoughtful expression forming on Nora's face.

"I'm beginning to understand now; these spires are protected one way or another, be it by local Pokémon or human superstition. Therefore, we can expect the last two to be guarded as well." She stated calmly. "But we should get to the task at hand; we've spent enough time here as it is already."

"Got it!" The purple-haired girl stated, the duo exiting the alcove and made their way deeper inside the cavern.

**0000**

"So, what do you think their leader will be like? If he's anything like Audrey, then we may be in some serious trouble." Natasha inquired, the duo continuing their trek through the caverns.

"Well if it means anything, the Infernal Cult was the first cult to have formed in Torren, followed closely by the Temporal Cult, who had worshipped Dialga. The fact that they've lasted this long goes to show that far more threatening than your average cult." Nora answered, the duo arriving in the deepest cavern only to hear what sounded like two people talking to one another. Quickly hiding behind a boulder, the heroines proceeded to eavesdrop on the conversation.

"—and as it turns out, everyone was interpreting the prophecy wrong!" A familiar voice spoke to what looked like a commander of the Infernal Cult.

"Hmm? What do you mean?" The commander inquired; a hint of curiosity etched on his face.

"I found out the truth behind the prophecy, and it had fantastic news! That chosen hero? They'll defeat all the other cults just fine, but not only would they lose to us, they'll end up joining us." The older man continued with glee, with Nora narrowing her eyes at him upon recognizing who he was.

"That's wonderful! And since the only candidates for the hero are the Gym Leader of Amphitrite City, and that group of kids, I don't think they're going to be joining us willingly." The commander continued.

"Exactly, which makes our gift even more powerful than we believed. I do hope we end up getting that lass with the Delta Call." The librarian chuckled, with the commander following suit as the heroines soon confronted the duo.

"What is wrong with you?!" Nora snapped at the older man, catching the villains off-guard. "You were there at the library when we heard that prophecy! You were supposed to be on our side! You told us how important that prophecy was—special information that the cults didn't know! Yet here you are, sharing it with the Infernal Cult, taking away the one advantage we had. I hope Zenith rewards you as a traitor deserves…"

"Ohohohohoho, I'm more than happy to reward myself as a traitor deserves, except I was never a traitor to begin with." Zachery retorted, removing his disguise and cast it aside. His once purple-hair was now a mixture of red and purple, his outfit consisting of a deep red jacket over a white, long-sleeved shirt, topped off with white trousers. "Your advantage was gone the moment I heard that prophecy! A shame neither of you asked my name back then; you really should have, as names are more powerful than you can imagine."

"So you were working at the library this whole time, just to hear the prophecy?" Natasha demanded, narrowing her eyes at the Infernal Leader.

"But of course! It was the only reason I even considered working at that dump. That hair dye was a pain in the neck to wash off. But all that waiting, all that effort was worth it to hear the oracle talk about the prophecy, about our victory. Not even Audrey's defeat could frighten me or my cult, for it was foretold that one of you will join us." Zenith boasted.

"You talk as if we'll ever help you!" The green-haired girl shot back.

"Even in the face of imminent defeat, you still resist. Very well. If you two want a fight, then I'll be happy to indulge you. Hopefully this battle will show me which one of you would be the better catch." He stated, taking out two Pokéballs and threw them, an Excadrill and Rhyperior emerging from the devices.

Realizing that they would have to work together, Nora and Natasha sent out their Celebi and Scrafty respectively, the two Grass-types wincing slightly from the heat of the cavern. But for the sake of their trainers, they endured the heat and stared down their foes. The Excadrill started things off by burrowing into the ground, kicking up some dust and debris in the air. It soon emerged from the ground a few moments later, with the Rhyperior slamming its heavy feet onto the ground to create a potent tremor. This had caused some stalactites to fall from the ceiling, with the airborne Excadrill batting them towards its enemies, with the Grass types, narrowly avoiding the attacks.

Opting to go for a swift counterattack, the Celebi channeled its inner energy to conjure up a ball of vivid green energy and flung it at the Rhyperior, landing a direct hit as it staggered back a couple feet. Meanwhile, the Scrafty lunged towards the Excadrill, dodging a series of quick slashes before kicking it in the face, sending the mole flying back towards the Drill Pokémon as they crashed into the rocky wall. It then followed up by retrieving a few explosive seeds from its pants and flung them at the enemy, their bodies assaulted by a series of small explosions as they fell to the ground, their bodies pelted by some small rocks.

"Hmph, you got lucky there…" Zenith commented, recalling his injured Pokémon before taking out two more Pokéballs and threw them, a Chandelure and Volcarona emerging from the devices. Almost immediately, the Volcarona conjured up an oppressive gust of hot wind, striking both Grass types directly with Chandelure following up with a Flamethrower directed at Celebi. However, the Scrafty pushed Celebi out of the way and took the attack, holding its ground for a few moments before getting flung several feet back, crumpling on the ground as Nora took the time to digest what had just happened.

"Y-Your Pokémon took the attack for me…" She commented, with Natasha making her way to her injured comrade.

"Of course, I'd do anything to keep you and your friends safe." The purple-haired girl smiled back, a faint blush forming on Nora's face as the latter recalled her Scrafty before sending out her Gorebyss, the draconic Pokémon coiled up on the ground. Mulling over which foe to deal with first, it settled for the Volcarona, rearing its head back and sprayed a blast of scalding hot water from its mouth. While that was happening, the Celebi opted to tap into its mental power in order to ensnare the Chandelure, the Ghost type caught off-guard as it was being lifted into the air by its opponent. Without warning, it was soon flung towards the Volcarona and crashed into it, the duo collapsing onto the floor. This gave the Gorebyss an opportunity to fire another blast of water at some remaining stalactites, causing them to fall onto the enemy Pokémon and bury them beneath a large pile of shattered rocks, a sigh of frustration escaping from Zenith's mouth.

"This wasn't how I hoped things will go…" He muttered, recalling his Pokémon before opting to send out his last one, a Magcargo. However, he soon took out a Mega Ring and activated it, the snail encased in a multicolored ball of light as a wonderous energy coursed through its body. soon enough, the ball of light shattered, revealing Magcargo in its new form. Its shell had been broken up into an armor of sorts that coated its body, which was now twice as long as its initial form. The Gorebyss opted to go for a Scald once more, but the attack vaporized into steam before it made contact with the snail, catching Natasha by surprise.

"So it's immune to Water-type attacks." She commented.

"That's right! It's my secret trump card against a certain Gym Leader in the event that he's the one who'll join my side." Zenith bragged, his Magcargo glaring at its foes. "Incinerate those pesky brats!"

The Magcargo reared its head back and fired a powerful stream of flames at its opponents, only for Celebi to conjure up a wonderous wall of light that shielded the duo from the oppressive flames. Once the attack ceased, the heroes opted to begin their counterattack, with Celebi starting off by using a mystical power to lift the fallen rocks and fling them at the Magcargo, knocking it off balance. The Gorebyss followed up by gathering a ball of draconic energy in its mouth and fired it at the enemy, the ball exploding on contact and sent the snail flying back a couple feet. But it was the Celebi who'd deal the finishing blow, conjuring up a series of sharp leaves imbued with psychic powers and flung them at the Magcargo, the leaves puncturing its gooey body before getting burnt to a crisp from the heat. The Lava Pokemon promptly collapsed onto the floor, reverting to its original form as a mildly amused look formed on Zenith's face.

"Not bad." He admitted, recalling his Magcargo. "Truth be told, I'm hoping that Natasha's the one who joins the Infernal Cult. Her Delta Call would be a major boon to our cause."

"Give it up Zenith! Whatever you're here for, we won't let you lay a hand on it!" The purple-haired girl shot back, with the older man laughing back at her.

"How naïve…you say that as if we're gonna walk away empty-handed." He retorted, turning to face the pool of lava behind him. "Groudon, duke of the earth! Rise up and show yourself to your loyal servants! I vocare immortali terra!"

The ground began quaking violently, a loud roar echoing throughout the room as both girls quickly recalled their Pokémon. They watched the pool in awe as the massive figure of Groudon emerged from the depths and stared down the humans before it, a faint look in its eyes that indicated that it…recognized the Infernal cultists.

"Excellent…it's willing to join our side. We're done here." Zenith stated, as a flustered look formed on Nora's face.

"W-Wait a minute! How did Groudon join you so easily? After all, it took the combined power of Lugia and a Crystal Shard to have Kyogre join Audrey's side." She exclaimed.

"Oh, the innocence of youth. Did you really expect us to catch Groudon? And I thought you'd done your research on the Infernal Cult. As the first cult to ever exist, it's only natural that we were able to catch the legendary we worshipped long ago. All we did was wake Groudon up from its long slumber. Now if you'll excuse us, we've got a plan to commence." The older man stated, as he and the commander hopped onto Groudon's back, with the large Pokémon burrowing through a wall.

"This is bad, this is really bad. With Groudon at their side, it's only a matter of time before they move into action. The worst thing is that I have no idea what they're planning, meaning I can't form a proper plan to counter it." Nora stated, a look of fear etched on her face.

"So what are we going to do about it?" Natasha inquired urgently.

"Unfortunately, there's nothing we can do for now; we simply don't know enough about their plans. However, something Zenith said made me think about Perfection. I'm heading back to the library to do some research. The best thing for you to do is head to Selene City and meet the Gym Leader; she's a good friend of mine." The green-haired girl suggested, making her way out the cave on her own as Natasha pondered to herself. She knew that Perfection had their hands on the three Dragons of Unova; Reshiram, Zekrom and Kyurem, but what was their end game with them? Whatever the case, she would have to head to Selene City and find out the truth.

**Another chapter wrapped up nice and neatly. The next one should have a Gym Battle in it so that's something to look forward to. Thank you all for reading, I'll see you in the next chapter.**

**Acquired Delta Pokémon:**

**D. Venusaur**

**D. Charizard**

**D. Blastoise**

**D. Dugtrio**

**D. Crustle (Cake) **

**D. Golem**

**D. Ambipom**

**D. Muk**

**D. Reuniclus**

**D. Scizor**

**D. Volcarona**

**D. Sunflora**

**D. Gardevoir (female)**

**D. Gallade**

**D. Quagsire**

**D. Raichu**

**D. Hydreigon**

**D. Pidgeot**

**D. Golurk**

**D. Plusle**

**D. Minun**

**D. Ludicolo**

**D. Heatmor**

**D. Emolga**

**D. Drifblim**

**D. Roserade**

**D. Snorlax**

**D. Haxorus**

**D. Weezing**

**D. Dunsparce**

**D. Huntail (male)**

**D. Gorebyss (female)**

**D. Vespiquen**

**D. Chandelure**

**D. Bisharp**

**D. Scrafty**

**D. Luxray**

**D. Metagross (Spider)**

**D. Glalie**

**D. Froslass **


	21. Chapter 21

** 23StellaOrgana: Thanks for the kind words. I was surprised that there was little to no backstory for Meloetta despite the fact that she's locked behind a long sidequest and grants you the power to unlock those music walls you see throughout the game. So, I figured I'd do something about it and write a small backstory for her.**

**Sorry for the late update, but last month was really busy for me and I needed a break of sorts from Insurgence. Hopefully, this chapter makes up for my tardiness.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon Insurgence; it is the property of its creators.**

With her business in Hekate Town concluded, Natasha made her way onto Route 12 and towards Selene City, in the hopes of meeting the Gym Leader. After all, if she was a close friend of Nora, then it's likely that she's also been chosen by a Mythical Pokémon; perhaps she may even have an idea on where the remaining scrolls are located. Route 12 itself was fairly simple to traverse, what with it being a steady uphill climb with patches of grass growing alongside the dirt path. But as she reached the top, the purple-haired girl stopped in her tracks before quickly hiding behind a large tree beside the path. Peering out from behind, she saw a Darkrai cultist talking to Persephone, the duo standing before the entrance to the city.

"Miss Persephone…are you sure this is a good idea?" The cultist inquired, mulling over the various ways the mission could go wrong. "After all, you didn't bring all your Pokémon with you."

"I'll be fine. After all, I'm merely visiting my sister; nothing wrong with that, am I right?" She replied, daring her subordinate to answer back at her.

"W-Well yes, you are, but…" The cultist stammered meekly.

"Then I don't see the problem. We need to figure out why Darkrai keeps running off to her if we are to catch it." Persephone interrupted his rebuttal.

"B-But shouldn't we be looking for that Natasha kid? If we don't, the Augur's going to come after us." The cultist told her, a condescending chuckle escaping from the woman.

"Hah, do you really think I'm afraid of that imbecile? Even with the legendary Rayquaza on his side, I'm more than a match for him. But enough talk, I've got a treacherous sister to confront." The cult leader stated firmly, the duo entering the city as Natasha emerged from behind the tree. This was not good at all; who knows what Persephone and her cult have in store for this city? The Gym Battle could wait a little longer as this was a more pressing matter. Quickly making her way up to the top, she quickly entered the city only to be taken aback by its size.

While Selene City wasn't the largest city in the region, it was still a vast metropolis that one could easily get lost in. The most notable landmarks were the restaurant built like a lighthouse in the right side of town, and the large lake directly in the middle of the town. But now wasn't the time to be gawking like a tourist; she had to get a move on this instant. Quickly making her way through the city, she searched all over the place for the cultists, but to no avail. Just as she was about to take a quick breather, she saw the cultist looking over his shoulder before making his way towards the Gym. Assuming that is where the meeting is, she quietly followed the cultist for a few minutes, hiding behind a rock as she saw the cultist stand beside Persephone, the cult leader talking to a brown-haired woman who appeared to be around a year or two younger than her.

"Been a while, hasn't it Diana…" The white-haired woman called out, a hint of contempt in her voice.

"Persephone, what are you doing here? I thought you wanted me out of your life for good." The now-named Diana inquired curiously.

"I'm not here to see you; I merely wanted to see it with my own eyes." Persephone demanded, the white-haired woman growing infuriated over her sister's attempts to play dumb. "You know, Darkrai! We talked about this before!"

"Look, I don't know how many times I have to tell you this. I'm not friends with Darkrai; it may seem like we're best friends to you, but we're not. Heck, I haven't even seen the thing. Please, Perse…you need to abandon this cult business while you still can. I get that you want revenge, but it isn't going to work. After all, you might get captured again, or worse…" Diana pleaded with her sister, but it fell on deaf ears.

"Wow, Diana. The way you worded it, it almost seemed like you cared." The cult leader retorted.

"Really? Look I get it, I hurt you really badly back then, but it was years ago. I'm so sor-" The brown-haired woman began.

You abandoned me, Dia! How can I ever forget something like that?! You have no idea what I went through!" Persephone shot back, before taking a deep breath. "It seems that this trip was a waste of time; I've got more important matters to attend to, such as capturing some brat who got the Augur's panties in a twist."

"Hmmm? Why would the Augur want a child captured?" Diana inquired.

"Long story short, some girl with purple-hair named Natasha escaped from our custody a while ago. The Augur's scared of her, as she could easily ruin his "prestigious" career. If I don't find her in time, it'll be the end of the Cult of Darkrai." The white-haired woman explained.

"A purple-haired girl, huh? Sort of like the one behind that rock, eavesdropping on us?" Diana stated, leaving Natasha with no choice but to confront the duo as a bewildered expression formed on Persephone's face.

"Of all the times to not have my full team of Pokémon…" The cult leader muttered bitterly to herself. "No matter, I'll still take you out right here! You're going right back into custody, where I'll finish off what I started!"

"Hah, bring it on!" Natasha retorted, sending out her Froslass while Persephone sent out her Gengar. The purple-haired girl narrowed her eyes at the Gengar, knowing that it was the one who consumed most of her memories, with the ghost smirking back at her. "Froslass, go for Fiery—"

"Gengar!" The ghost type chortled; its body enveloped into a multi-colored orb of light as Natasha gazed at it firmly. A few seconds later, the orb shattered, revealing Mega-Gengar in all its glory as an eerie aura permeated the area.

"I may not have brought all my Pokémon, but at least I wasn't stupid enough to leave my Mega Ring behind." Persephone stated, pointing towards the Froslass. "Destroy that weakling with Shadow Ball!"

Nodding in agreement, the Gengar gathered the eerie aura surrounding it into a ball, taking aim at its opponent and hurled it at astonishing speeds. Though the Magma Pokémon attempted to get out the way, the powerful attack, grazed her back, causing her to spin in the air before crumpling onto the ground. However, she wasn't out for the count yet; getting back up, the Froslass cloaked her body in fire before twirling towards the Gengar, striking it head on as it was sent flying back a couple feet.

"Alright, a direct—huh?!" Natasha cheered, only to get taken aback as the Gengar's body started to ripple on the ground, before reverting to its true form. It was a large black and red quadrupedal fox, with an extremely long mane and a fairly muscular body. It had patches of white fur over its face, elbows and knees that resembled bone masks, as well as sharp red claws on each of its paws. There was only one Pokémon that resembled what she was looking at. "—Mega Zoroark…"

"Well the cat's out the bag now, not that it would matter in the long run." The cult leader stated confidently, her Zoroark getting ready to deal a retaliatory blow. It lunged towards the Froslass, hoping to ensnare her in its jaws, but when it bit down, it soon realized that the Froslass before it was an illusion. Quickly turning around, it saw multiple copies of Froslass descend onto it, their bodies cloaked in flames as they spun towards it and attacked, juggling the large fox in the air multiple times before the real Froslass dealt a final blow to it, sending the Zoroark hurtling towards the ground, unable to continue fighting.

"I'm a little disappointed Perse. Your Zoroark should've been able to see that the Froslass was an illusion created from Double Team. Perhaps someone needs to brush up on their skills…" Natasha taunted her opponent, a look of irritation growing on her foes face.

"Bite your tongue, you cheeky brat! I'll make you eat your words!" Persephone retorted, recalling her Zoroark before sending out her Spiritomb, the amalgamation of ominous spirits eyeing up their foe with mischievous glee. Rearing back its head, it spewed a viscous ball of poison at its foe in an attempt to poison it, only for the Froslass to wink at its foe as its body emanated a bright glow before retreating back to its ball, with Natasha quickly sending out her Heatmor as it opened its mouth and consumed the ball of fluid in one gulp.

"How'd you like my new combo? Set up Froslass with Fiery Dance before passing on her buffs with Baton Pass. Now you're stuck dealing with a boosted Heatmor; have fun…" The purple-haired girl stated, pointing towards the Spiritomb. "Flash Cannon!"

Pointing its launchers directly at its foe, the Heatmor fired off a series of silver orbs of energy at the Forbidden Pokémon, landing a series of direct hits on it as it was sent flying back several feet. But despite the attack's immense power, the Spiritomb's high defenses ensured its survival. Slowly getting back up, it gazed intently at the SludgeEater Pokémon, its irises spinning in circles as it attempted to hypnotize its opponent into falling asleep. But the Heatmor was able to avert its gaze in time and jumped to the side, taking aim once more and fired a stream of intense flames at its opponent, striking it head on and sent the amalgamation of spirits tumbling back towards Persephone, a sigh of annoyance escaping from her mouth.

"Tch, you're getting on my nerves, girl…" She huffed, recalling her Spiritomb before sending out her Houndoom, the hellhound letting out a ferocious growl. Rearing its head back, it spewed a massive stream of fire at the Heatmor, striking it directly as the SludgeEater Pokémon was sent flying back several feet, crumpling before Natasha's feet as she winced for her injured comrade. Although it was more than capable of dishing out powerful attacks, its defenses were rather lackluster, hence why it was knocked out so quickly.

"Don't worry, I'll avenge you my friend." Natasha consoled her injured Heatmor, recalling it to its ball before mulling over who to send out next. A flash of inspiration shone in her mind, the purple-haired girl taking out a third ball and sent out her Blastoise, the large tortoise staring down its foe. Unintimidated by its opponent, the Houndoom charged up another Flamethrower and fired it at the tortoise, only for it to withdraw into its shell, shielding itself from the attack. Once the attack subsided, the Blastoise emerged from its shell and channeled its inner aura into a ball, rearing its arm back and flung it at the hellhound, landing a direct hit as it was sent flying back several feet before crumpling on the floor. Given Houndoom's notably fragility, it wasn't a surprise that the super effective attack knocked it out.

"I'm done played around, child." Persephone stated, recalling her Houdoom and sent out her Gengar, only this time it was the real deal. The sinister ghost started things off by attempting to lull its opponent to sleep, its eyes boring deep into the Blastoise's soul as it soon drifted off to sleep. From there, the Gengar rose into the air and fired a barrage of noxious sludge from its mouth, the attack assaulting the defenseless Blastoise as it was pushed back a couple feet. It then lowered itself back onto the ground, hoping to gloat in front of its slumbering opponent. However, the tortoise promptly uttered a loud snore, a large wave of dark energy escaping from its mouth as it struck the Gengar head on and sent it flying back towards its trainer's feet. "Sleep Talk, I should've known. Somehow, you always managed to find a way to secure the upper hand."

"I like surprising my opponents; keeps them on their toes." The purple-haired girl smiled, with both trainers recalling their Pokémon as a sigh escaped from the cult leader's mouth.

"Just my luck. Only I would find the very person I'm looking for when I'm woefully unprepared. I will find you again, and I will lock you up for good!" She huffed, turning to face her sister. "And Diana, Darkrai is mine and mine alone. Don't even try and stop me!"

"Sis…" Diana replied sadly, watching her sister storm off in a fury. "Natasha, was it? I'm sorry that you had to go through that. I'm Diana, the gym leader of this city. As you found out, Persephone is my sister. I'm not gonna defend her actions, or my actions back then. There's a reason she's doing what she's doing, and she won't stop until she achieves her goals." The brown-haired woman stated, as Natasha got a better look at her. Her medium length brown hair was done up in a ponytail, with her brown eyes expressing feelings of remorse and regret. Her outfit consisted of a short-sleeved black shirt, with a matching black skirt and leggings.

"I see…so would you have a problem if I challenged you to a gym battle?" Natasha requested.

"As much as I would love to battle you, I'm unable to do so today. Do you mind waiting until tomorrow?" The gym leader requested.

"Fine by me. I can spend the rest of the day exploring the city." The purple-haired girl stated.

"If you're looking for recommendations, there's an abandoned tower to the west of here that's rumored to have a very powerful Pokémon residing inside it. Just make sure you don't spend too long exploring; there's this meddlesome Pokémon that roams the city at night. Thankfully it hasn't attacked anyone yet, but you can never be too careful." Diana informed her junior, with Natasha giving her a nod of appreciation before going their separate ways.

**0000**

"Phew…just how far is this tower from Selene City?" The purple-haired girl sighed to herself, a little exhausted from the long walk to the ancient tower. But her perseverance was soon rewarded as she stepped out of the forest and into the small clearing where the tower resided. As Diana had mentioned, the place looked abandoned, with signs of damage all over the place. Taking in a deep breath, Natasha stepped inside the tower and was taken aback by how dusty it was, the walls and ceiling littered with cobwebs. Thin rays of light shone through the cracks in the wall, and they seemed to be fading slightly. Realizing that this meant night was upon her, the purple-haired girl opted to pick up the pace in her exploration, as this was one place she didn't want to explore at night. She climbed up flight after flight of stairs, searching the empty rooms for anything of use before searching the room after that. But as she reached the top of the stairs, she was taken aback by the sight before her.

Standing firmly in place were a pair of statues that resembled a Delta Noivern. Their metallic torsos were covered in a fluffy green fur that had the consistency of grass. Their metallic wings were outstretched over what looked like a bowl in the center of the room, while their ears were drooping slightly, as if they were ill or something. Taking a few steps towards the statues, Natasha soon realized that they weren't statues, but actual Pokémon. Unfortunately, both of them were dead, their bodies slowly succumbing to the elements as rust was evident on their crumbling bodies. But the biggest surprise of them all was the presence of an egg in the bowl they were protecting, its shell a lustrous silver with green spots all over it.

"T-This is amazing. I thought Delta Pokémon couldn't breed due to their warped genetic structure." She exclaimed, her eyes soon glossing over to a journal left lying beside the makeshift nest. Picking it up, she began reading through it, hoping it would have the answers she's looking for.

'_When I first heard of Delta Species, I was immediately fascinated! I had to know more about them. I soon discovered that due to a genetic mutation, none of them were able to breed, even with their non-Delta variants. This could explain why they're so rare and valuable. Luck would soon favor me as I caught sight of a silver dragon flying through the sky towards this very tower. I must chase after it! It could be one of the elusive Delta Species that I've been searching for.'_

'_This tower seems to have been falling apart over the last few years. Had it not been for the sound of fluttering above me, I would've turned around. The sound of being so close to a big discovery pushed me ever forward. I can't walk away now!'_

'_As I climbed higher to the top, a very strange screech from a few floors above had caught my attention. What was more fascinating were not the noises itself, however, but more the fact that it sounded different each time, as if two Pokémon were there…'_

'_I was so close to the top, I could hardly believe it. The screeching had died down as I got closer though. Perhaps the Pokémon was hurt? I knew that I had to hurry, in fear of all this work being for nothing if the dragon I saw were to perish.'_

'_I had finally made it to the top, and the journey was worth it. I had found a new Delta Species! It appeared to be a Noivern with shiny metallic skin and flowing green grass on its chest and stomach. But the biggest discovery came in the fact that not only was there two Delta Pokémon in front of me, but also a nest with a pair of eggs snuggled inside them!'_

'_The two Noiverns appeared to be huddled around the eggs, and it took a while before they let me come near them. Both dragons looked really weak…rust had started to form on their bodies, and their yellow eyes seemed to be fading. It must've taken all of their strength to keep these eggs safe here. The one that appeared to be a female nudged me, gently pushing one of the eggs towards me. I nodded and took the egg with me, leaving the other one with its parents. If you found this journal, please take the other egg and keep it safe. It might be the only surviving proof that Delta Pokémon might be able to breed. If you do find this, I'll be continuing my research into the breeding of Delta Pokémon. You can find me in Gaea Town, in the small lab beside the pond. Just mention the egg, and I'll be happy to tell you all that I know.'_

Natasha knew what she must do; these Noivern gave up their lives to protect their young, and she'll honor their dying wish. Gently picking up the egg and the journal, she placed them both inside her bag and shot a small smile at the two Noivern before making her way back down the tower. An hour later, she made her way back to Selene City, a small sigh escaping from her mouth as she saw that it had gotten dark, meaning that the Pokémon Diana mentioned would be out on the prowl.

"Now to find the Pokémon Center before that thing—" The purple-haired girl began, only to get interrupted by the sound of a trash can falling over, following by the sound of something rummaging through it. she quickly walked towards the source of the noise and saw what looked like a Pokémon rummaging through the garbage. Just then, the creature heard her and stuck its head out the can, its eyes locked onto the teenager.

It was a most baffling creature, almost as if it was made up of several other Pokémon. It's legs were made out of steel, yet its body was covered in lilac-colored fur. Its tail was long and thin and ended in a scythe like protrusion that sway carefully in the air. Finally, the fur on its head, face and neck were a light grey of sorts, its feline like features granted Natasha a sudden realization.

"You're a Delta Liepard, aren't you?" She muttered, the cat giving her a nod of confirmation. "We can't have you causing the people any more trouble, can we?" She continued, taking out an empty Pokéball from her bag.

Realizing what she was attempting to do, the Liepard opted to accept the outcome, knowing that it would receive a better meal than leftover scraps. With a quick flick of her wrist, Natasha threw the ball at it, the device capturing it as it jiggled on the ground for a few moments before the light died down. Picking the ball back up, the purple-haired girl promptly cleaned up the area before heading back to the Pokémon Center in order to rest up for the night.

**That's it for this chapter. I do apologize if there wasn't a Gym Battle in it like I mentioned in the last chapter, but I didn't want the chapter to drag on for two long. The next chapter WILL have the gym battle against Diana as well as the confrontation with Taen at the Dragon Ruins, so that should be something to look forward to. Thank you all for reading, I'll see you in the next chapter.**

**Acquired Delta Pokémon:**

**D. Venusaur**

**D. Charizard**

**D. Blastoise**

**D. Dugtrio**

**D. Crustle (Cake) **

**D. Golem**

**D. Ambipom**

**D. Muk**

**D. Reuniclus**

**D. Scizor**

**D. Volcarona**

**D. Sunflora**

**D. Gardevoir (female)**

**D. Gallade**

**D. Quagsire**

**D. Raichu**

**D. Hydreigon**

**D. Pidgeot**

**D. Golurk**

**D. Plusle**

**D. Minun**

**D. Ludicolo**

**D. Heatmor**

**D. Emolga**

**D. Drifblim**

**D. Roserade**

**D. Snorlax**

**D. Haxorus**

**D. Weezing**

**D. Dunsparce**

**D. Huntail (male)**

**D. Gorebyss (female)**

**D. Vespiquen**

**D. Chandelure**

**D. Bisharp**

**D. Scrafty**

**D. Luxray**

**D. Metagross (Spider)**

**D. Glalie**

**D. Froslass **

**D. Noibat (Egg)**

**D. Liepard**


End file.
